July 27th 2023.
Recently, a custom ring designed by the late rapper Tupac Shakur was sold for a hefty amount at a Sotheby's hip-hop themed Auction. According to CNN, the gold, ruby, and diamond crown ring sold for $1.2 million on July 25th, making it the most valuable hip-hop artifact ever sold at auction.
The ring was worn by the California Love rapper at his last public appearance at the 1996 Video Music Awards. It was described as a diamond-encrusted gold band, topped with a gold circlet studded with a cabochon ruby and two pavé-cut diamonds. This was far more than the auction house's estimate of $200,000 to $300,000.
Tupac's godmother, Yaasmyn Fula, said that he and Tupac worked with jewelers in New York to create the piece as an "act of self-coronation," as he was transitioning from an eight-month prison sentence and a tumultuous period of his life. The ring was inscribed with "Pac & Dada 1996," referencing his engagement to actress, model, and daughter to super-producer Quincy Jones.
The auction was attended by other elite hip-hop members, including De La Soul's Kelvin Mercer. Mercer described the ring as more than just an artifact, but a symbol of Tupac's love for another person. He said, “What’s so special about this ring is that it shows him in a moment where he was not necessarily on the front lines as an artist, but just a man expressing his love for another person, and that’s beautiful to see.”
Other pieces that were up for auction included handwritten notes for Wu-Tang Clan’s album “Enter the Wu-Tang ” by RZA, original artwork by Bill Sienkiewicz for EPMD’s first Def Jam release “Business as Usual,” and a wooden box painted by American artist KAWS—which sold for an estimated $76,200. It was clear that this auction was a celebration of hip-hop culture, and the Tupac ring was a reminder of the legacy of the late rapper.
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