Sotheby’s Announces Auction Celebrating
The History & Cultural Impact of Hip Hop
Featuring Fine Art, Artifacts, Memorabilia, Photography, Fashion, Jewelry & More
Headlined by:
The Crown Worn & Signed by Notorious B.I.G.
From the Iconic 1997 ‘King of New York’ Photograph
The Rapper’s Last Recorded Photoshoot
Estimate $200/300,000
**
An Archive of High School Love Letters
Handwritten by Teenage Tupac Shakur
Estimate $60/80,000
A Portion of Sotheby’s Proceeds to Benefit the Queens Public Library Hip Hop Programs and Building Beats, A Non-Profit Community Organization Focused on DJ & Music Programs
LIVE AUCTION 15 SEPTEMBER AT SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK
NEW YORK, 25 August 2020 – Sotheby’s is honored to announce an auction celebrating the history and cultural impact of Hip Hop on 15 September in New York. The first-ever dedicated Hip Hop auction to be presented at a major international auction house, the sale reflects on the impact Hip Hop has had on art and culture from the late 1970s through the “Golden Age” of the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, and up to the present. Featuring over 120 lots, the auction is comprised of unique artifacts, contemporary art, one of a kind experiences, photography, vintage and modern fashion, historic and newly designed jewelry and luxury items, rare ephemera including flyers and posters, important publications, and more. The majority of items on offer in the sale have been consigned directly by artists or their estates and the full contents of the auction will be announced at a later date.
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.
The auction was organized 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.
Cassandra Hatton, Vice President & Senior Specialist in Sotheby’s Books & Manuscripts Department commented: “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. 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.”
A dedicated exhibition for the Hip Hop auction will be on view by appointment in Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries from 11 – 15 September. The exhibition will also be available to the public online via our new immersive digital gallery experience.
New York
Derek Parsons
New York
Hallie Freer