Tupac Shakur's childhood poetry book is said to be up for sale at Sotheby's.
It's an unreleased collection of the late rapper's haiku poetry, which he composed when he was 11 years old. It included not just text, but also images he produced during the time.
It is described on the website as "an unpublished booklet of haikus written and illustrated by Tupac Shakur when he was only 11 years old, on offer from his godfather, Jamal Joseph, a Black Panther activist who was gifted the booklet by Tupac 40 years ago while incarcerated with fellow Panthers at Leavenworth Prison."
For further information, a video of Jamal Joseph explaining some of the poetry has been uploaded.
The Tupac collection also contains some love letters he wrote to a "cherished girlfriend" when he was 17, shortly before his fame began.
Bidding has already begun, and through the end of the month, a portion of the auction is dedicated to hip hop.
The book is likely to garner $300,000.
Aside from Tupac's poems and letters, the collection also includes Chuck D's original "Tour-Worn" silver Raiders Starter jacket, which he has autographed.
It also features the Beastie Boys' "License to Ill" album cover and the late Biz Markie's bespoke sable suit and hat.
Following the successful release of their firm's Hip Hop auction in 2020, Sotheby's Global Head of Science and Popular Culture Cassandra Hatton said their second sale in the series "expands on the generational, regional, and aesthetic reach of Hip Hop's creative story."
"From the '70s to the present, from the East Coast to the West, The Art and Influence of Hip Hop aspires to showcase and commemorate the voices and visionaries who continue to move the audience and redefine culture," she continued.
Tupac Shakur's Mom Biopic
Afeni Shakur, Tupac's mother, and her life will be part of a film "Peace, Love & Respect: The Afeni Shaku/Panther 21," which would trace her life from 1969 to 1971, including her role in the Black Panther Party.
She died in 2016, although she was a vital member of the group after joining in 1968 and being arrested for being a part of it.
She even went on trial and was accused of planning bomb strikes in New York before being acquitted.
As of this writing, there is no release date for the film, although the Shakur estate supports it.
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