2Pac was a huge part of making Hip Hop what it is today and one of its most valuable pieces is about to go up for auction. Sotheby’s is hosting an event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop and one of the main attractions is a crown ring that he designed for himself. It’s made of gold, diamonds and rubies and is expected to go for north of three hundred thousand dollars when it’s auctioned. The ring was designed shortly after Pac’s release from prison and he told his manager, Fula that he wanted it to serve as a symbol of self-expression and the next step in his career. He was seen wearing it at the VMAs less than a week before he was killed.

In a recent interview, Ice-T recalled the time when Shock G, the Digital Underground frontman who mentored Pac had come to his home and begged him to have a conversation with the California MC during his time on Death Row. “I saw him as an artist, not just a gangsta rapper,” Ice-T said. “He was one of the most important people in my life, and he left a legacy that I will never forget.”

Sotheby’s recently published an article on the “Crown” of Tupac Shakur, which is a gold circlet adorned with three of the largest diamonds in the entire piece. The ‘crown’ itself is a circular gold circlet that is studded with the central cabochon rubies which are complemented by two pavé cut diamonds,” Sotheby’s wrote. “Tupac’s choice of the Ruby as the primary stone in his crown continues the royal narrative that has long been associated with rubies in our cultural imagination, as they have been associated with monarchy and wealth.”

Ice-T recalled a story in which Shock G came to his home in the Hollywood Hills. He asked if any Black people lived there, and when the answer was affirmative, Shock knocked on the door. He invited the rapper in and they sat down to talk, with Shock telling him that he was feeding “Pac gunpowder” and that “he wasn’t listening to me”. Ice-T then began to choke, but quickly composed himself and continued to reflect on the tragic and premature death of 2Pac.