Sotheby’s is auctioning off a poetry book 2Pac created when he was 11. It is likely to sell for up to $300,000.
This was not Tupac’s only poetry work. He had another one published in 1999, “The Rose that Grew From Concrete.” The poems he wrote have a theme of hope throughout all of them.
The Origins of the Poetry Book
This poetry book is the earliest known piece of writing that 2Pac did. According to the auction house, he gave copies of it to four Black Panther members convicted for their involvement in the deadly 1981 robbery of a Brink’s armored vehicle.
Tupac sent this booklet to his godfather, Jamal Joseph. He explained some of the histories of the poetry book to Sotheby’s.
“I kept it [the haiku booklet] for about a year and then got permission from a prison counselor to send a package home (to my wife Joyce) along with some other letters and legal documents. The Guards had been searching cells after a gang stabbing and were messing up prisoners’ books, letters and photos. If you had money in your commissary account to pay for shipping and a decent counselor you could get a permission slip and take your stuff to the mail room to send home.”
The poetry consists of haikus that would later be expanded on in 2Pac’s music career. He signed the booklet with “Tupac Shakur, Future Freedom Fighter.”
Furthermore, the poetry book contains at least five haikus. The text appears in pencil. However, despite being so old, the paper is generally in good condition. There is some crinkling to edges & corners and light spots of finger soiling to the front and back pages. Therefore, it is in excellent condition.
In conclusion, the booklet is a part of Sotheby’s second hip-hop collection. The lot closes on Mar. 30.
Written by Justin Acosta
Twitter: @hahalacka
