Most people know Tupac Shakur as the legendary rap artist who was murdered in Las Vegas in 1996, but the many documentaries on his life and death reveal an intelligent man with a nuanced understanding of society and fame. His gangster act was, for the most part, just an act, but the lifestyle he imitated and sometimes participated in finally caught up to him on that fall day in Vegas, and he left behind a small empire that includes today’s noteworthy auction item; Tupac’s 1996 Hummer H1.
This fully loaded representative of conspicuous consumption was purchased a month before Tupac’s death, and it has since changed hands just a few times since. The Hummer is now a part of RR Auctions Marvels of Modern Music auction later this month, and unsurprisingly has been valued significantly higher than most SUVs of this vintage.
For a rapper at the top of his game, a Hummer was a must-have and Tupac checked off every option box he could. This means that despite being 20-years old, Tupac’s Hummer still has most of today’s modern conveniences like a GPS navigation system, a central tire-inflating system, a 12-disc Clarion sound system, an external PA system and even a 360-degree spotlight for illuminating the court during a late night game of Horse.
The interior is covered in beige leather and trimmed in burl wood to add a touch of class to this raucous ride. In addition to the 12,000 pound winch, the auction winner gets a promotional cassette for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and a copy of Tupac’s penultimate album, All Eyez On Me. More than just another car auction, this Hummer is a big piece of music history, even if Tupac wasn’t around to enjoy it very long.
We won’t be surprised if this piece of mobile memorabilia exceeds the $100,000 auction estimate, especially with the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s death just around the corner.