The crown that Biggie Smalls was photographed wearing for the cover of Rap Pages Magazine three days before his infamous death in 1997 is up for sale as part of a massive hip hop collection Sotherby's is auctioning off.
Notorious B.I.G's crown is part of a trove of items up for auction as part of Sotheby's very first collection dedicated to hip hop that goes under the hammer on 16 September (Australian time).Another highlight of the 120 items on offer is a collection of signed love letters written by Tupac Shukur as a teenager addressed to a high school sweetheart; they have an expected value of $60-80,000.
Biggie's crown, which has been in the possession of the Brooklyn-based photographer Barron Claiborne, who captured the image during the K.O.N.Y. (King of New York) portrait session, is expected to fetch around $300,000.
"Since its birth in the Bronx in the 1970s, hip hop has become a global cultural force, whose massive influence continues to shape all realms of culture: music, fashion, design, art, film, social attitudes, language, and more," Cassandra Hatton, Vice President & Senior Specialist in Sotheby's Books & Manuscripts Department, said in a statement.
"This sale is a celebration of the origins and early eras of that influence. We are pleased to announce the auction with two renowned and beloved icons whose lives and lyricism continue to resonate – Biggie and Tupac – with lots that offer an introspective look, in their own way, at the personalities behind their respective public personas."
Other items include unique artefacts, contemporary art, one-of-a-kind experiences, photography, vintage and modern fashion, historic and newly designed jewellery and luxury items, rare ephemera including flyers and posters, and important publications.
The auction has being arranged in collaboration with Monica Lynch, former president of Tommy Boy Records (1981-1998) who helped launch the careers of legends Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, Queen Latifah, De La Soul and Naughty by Nature, among many others.
