On 25 July, Sotheby's hosted its third dedicated Hip Hop auction, which achieved a total of $1.8 million (£1.4 mil). The crown jewel of the auction was a beautiful gold crown ring studded with diamonds and rubies that sold to Drake for $1 million, three times its high estimate of $300,000. The ring was commissioned by Hip Hop legend Tupac Shakur in 1996, also the year of his death.
During his lifetime, Tupac was considered one of the world's greatest rappers, and ever since his death, people have marked him as the number one rapper of all time. He is widely seen as a style icon, with his characteristic colourful bandanas and jewellery, such as diamond-studded earrings, necklaces, and rings.
See also: From Haydn to Hip-Hop: Music for Collectors
The ring that Sotheby's just offered at auction was among the most impressive rings that Tupac ever had in his collection. It was commissioned in 1996, just a couple of months before he was shot dead on 7 September in Las Vegas.
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'Pac & Dada 1996' is engraved on the outer lower part of the ring. 'Dada' refers to Kidada Jones, to whom he was recently engaged. Notably, Kidada Jones is the daughter of the highly acclaimed music producer Quincy Jones. Besides the inscription, the ring is studded with a 5-carat diamond, as well as seven beautiful ruby stones.
Related: Worth Millions: Behind the Appeal of Celebrity Memorabilia
As with all music memorabilia, the market is growing yearly, and with this sale of the most expensive Hip Hop artefact, the market will get even stronger.