A gold, ruby, and diamond crown ring, worn by rap legend Tupac Shakur during his last public appearance was sold for an astounding $1 million at an auction in New York.
The winning bid far exceeded Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. Making it the most valuable hip-hop artifact ever sold.
Tupac Shakur’s legendary ring. It was designed and created by Tupac and his grandmother Yaasmyn Fala. The ring sold for $1.02 million becoming the most expensive hip hop artefact ever auctioned New York based Sotheby. Source: Art News
Tupac Shakur adorned the ring during his last public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996. Tragically, just days later, the rap legend died. On September 13, 1996, the 25-year-old rap icon was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas.
The design of the ring held deep personal significance for Shakur. It was influenced by Niccolo Machiavelli’s political manifesto The Prince. A manifesto he read while imprisoned on sex abuse charges.
Tupac modeled the crown’s design after medieval European kings’ regal crowns. He collaborated with his godmother, Yaasmyn Fula, to create the ring over a few months.
The ring was engraved with “Pac & Dada 1996.” A tribute to his girlfriend Kidada Jones. The gold ring boasted a central cabochon ruby flanked by two pave-cut diamonds, elegantly set on a diamond-encrusted gold band.
Last time Tupac Shakur was seen wearing the golden ring in public. MTV Video Music Awards, September 4, 1996. Source: Daily Star
This significant sale was part of a dedicated hip-hop auction. Commemorating 50 years of the genre, set to take place in August this year.
Tupac Shakur is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers in history. Having sold 75 million records, Tupac played a significant role in the West Coast hip hop scene. The Los Angeles based rappers embroiled in a bitter feud with East Coast rappers from New York.
Tragically, Shakur’s killers have never been apprehended, and numerous theories about the assailants’ identity continue to circulate. The murder of Tupac Shakur was followed six months later by the fatal shooting of The Notorious BIG.
The rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was an East Coast rapper. His death fueled speculation that the murders were linked to the rivalry between their respective music labels. Death Row in LA and Bad Boy Entertainment in New York.
Recently, Las Vegas police have reopened the investigation into Tupac Shakur’s unsolved murder. They conducted a search at a residence as new evidence came to light. Thus prompting a renewed effort to bring justice to one of the most iconic figures in hip-hop history.
