Ring that Tupac wore before his death sells for over Sh100 million
The New York-born rapper wore the ring during his last public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996.
A gold, ruby and diamond ring worn by rap legend Tupac Shakur during his last public appearance sold for $1 million [Ksh142 million] at auction in New York on Tuesday.
The winning bid was above Sotheby's initial sales estimate of between $200,000 and $300,000 and makes it the most valuable piece of hip-hop art ever sold, the auction house told CBS News.
The New York-born rapper wore the ring during his last public appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996.
He was shot and killed by an unknown assailant in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas a few days later, on September 13. He was 25 years old.
Shakur, whose hits include "California Love," made the ring over a few months, Sotheby's said.
He did this through his model, Yaasmyn Fula, who put the ring up for sale. According to the historical article, Shakur was influenced by the 16th-century Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli's political manifesto "The Prince," which he read while in prison on sexual assault charges.
He modeled it on the crowns of European monarchs, Sotheby's said. The ring is engraved with "Pac & Dada 1996," referring to his girlfriend Kidada Jones.
The sale was part of a special hip-hop auction to celebrate the genre's 50th anniversary, which falls in August this year.
Shakur is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time, selling 75 million records.
He was a key figure in the Los Angeles-based West Coast hip-hop scene, which clashed with East Coast rappers in New York.
His killers have never been caught and theories about who was responsible have long circulated. Shakur's murder was followed six months later by the shooting of East Coast rapper Christopher "The Notorious BIG" Wallace.