NEW YORK, (CelebrityAccess) – Sotheby’s auction house announced an auction featuring a selection of unique hip hop memorabilia drawn from artists of the medium’s “Golden Age.”
The auction includes more than 120 lots comprised of unique artifacts, contemporary art, photography, vintage and modern fashion, historic and newly designed jewelry and luxury items, ephemera including flyers and posters, important publications, and more.
The items on offer include the crown worn by rapper Notorious B.I.G. during his ‘King of New York’ photoshoot, conducted just days before his death in Los Angeles in 1997.
“After 23 years in my possession, I’m very excited to share this iconic piece of Hip Hop history with the public. With the tragic events that unfolded just days after the photoshoot, this image of a crowned Notorious B.I.G. became much more than a portrait – the image transformed Biggie Smalls into an aristocratic or saint like figure, forever immortalized as not only the King of New York, but a king of Hip Hop music and one of the greatest artists of all time,” said photographer and consigner Barron Clairborne
Other items up for auction include 42 love letters written by Tupac Shakur to his high school sweetheart Kathy Loy.
An exhibition of the items will be available at Sotheby’s New York galleries from Sept. 11-15 by appointment, or by online. The auction is scheduled for Sept. 15th.
A portion of Sotheby’s proceeds will benefit the Queens Public Library Foundation, to support their Hip Hop Programs, coordinated by “Uncle” Ralph McDaniels, as well as Building Beats, a non-profit community organization that teaches tech, entrepreneurial and leadership skills to underserved youth through DJ and music programs.
