Photographer’s Very First NFT Is A Never-Before-Seen Tupac Photo
Over the years there has been many rare and never-before-seen photos of Tupac Shakur. Now David McLean has added to the collection with his very first NFT consisting of how own Tupac photo.
Sharing the rare photo via his Instagram account, McLean gave a back story of the never-before-seen. “I have just created my first NFT. It’s been minted from a rare photo of Tupac taken in Milan, June 1996,” McLean wrote in the caption. “The legendary rapper was at the height of his career and was personally invited by Gianni Versace to walk the runway during the Versace Fall/Winter 1997 show. Just two months before his untimely death in September 1996. This image has never been seen before and is an unique piece of hip hop history.“
Shakur would take the runway along with girlfriend Kidada Jones, dressed in a gold velvet suit from the collection. Tupac would also go on to perform his hit single “California Love.”
Just as he often did, Tupac’s involvement with Versace was groundbreaking. “I remember when Gianni was alive, it must have been maybe ‘94, or ‘95, and we brought Tupac to Milan. And nobody in fashion was working with Black artists then. Nobody was working with rappers. It was not inclusive, at all. But we had him perform for us during a men’s show,” said Donatella Versace, sister of Gianni Versace, as she spoke to HypeBeast. (View: Donatella Versace Talks Tupac Shakur Fashion Show Trip)
Tupac would also reference Versace on one of hip hop’s greatest diss records of all time, “Hit ‘Em Up.” “Now it’s all about Versace, you copied my style / Five shots couldn’t drop me, I took it and smiled / Now I’m back to set the record straight / With my AK, I’m still the thug that you love to hate.”
Also view: DJ Quick Shares Rare Tupac Hand Written Tracklist
As of this writing bidding is still ongoing. If you would like to own a piece of history you can do so now via foundation.app.