Rapper Tupac Shakur’s gold, ruby and diamond ring sold for over $1 million on Tuesday, making it the most valuable hip hop artifact ever sold in an auction, according to Sotheby’s.
The ring, which was designed by Shakur and worn during the last public appearance before his death at the 1996 Video Music Awards (VMAs), cost more than three times the auction house estimate during a hip hop-themed sale in New York. York.
Inscribed “Pac & Dada 1996”, in reference to his engagement to actress and model Kidada Jones (daughter of American music producer Quincy Jones), the diamond-encrusted gold ring has a gold crown studded with a cabochon ruby and two cut diamonds on top.
The ring was designed several months after the rapper signed to Death Row Records following a prison sentence he served eight months of.
It was modeled after the crowns of medieval European kings. It was “an act of self-crowning,” said Shakur’s godmother, Yaasmyn Fula, who took the ring up for auction, according to a Sotheby’s press release.
Fula said he worked with his godson and New York jewelers to produce the piece commemorating Shakur’s survival after a tumultuous period in his life.
“What’s so special about this ring is that it shows him at a time when he wasn’t necessarily on the front lines as an artist, but just a man expressing his love for someone else, and that’s beautiful to see,” he said. Kelvin Mercer, member of hip hop group De La Soul and guest curator of the sale, on the Sotheby’s website.
Is Drake the Ring’s New Owner?
Canadian rapper Drake posted a story on social media using Tupac’s ring, hinting that he fetched the piece for $1 million at Sotheby’s auction.
The auction also featured over 100 items, including everything from studio equipment to handwritten lyrics, private letters and original artwork from every era of hip hop history.
Among the items sold was one of the first works by American artist KAWS, from his first exhibition in London, which belonged to Mo’Wax label founder James Lavelle. The wooden box, painted in the artist’s classic cartoon style, sold within the estimated $76,200.
Other pieces included RZA’s handwritten liner notes for the Wu-Tang Clan album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” and Bill Sienkiewicz’s original artwork for EPMD’s first Def Jam release, “Business as Usual”. .
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.
