Rare Tupac photos to be sold as NFTs
(Credit: YouTube)

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Rare Tupac photos to be sold as NFTs

Rare photos of Tupac Shakur from the early days of his career are becoming NFTs, with part of the proceeds going to charitable causes.

The photographs are being sold by Lawrence ‘Loupy D’ Dotson, who shot them during a release party for the Pac’s debut album 2Pacalypse Now in 1992. He will also sign a print alongside every NFT and says money from the sales will go towards planting trees in the late rapper’s hometown.

“I bought a disposable, black and white 35mm camera from the Thriftys on the corner of La Brea and Rodeo,” Dotson told Rolling Stone. “Later that night I got to Glam Slam, Prince’s old club on Boylston Street downtown. I couldn’t wait to see this brotha perform. I loved the energy he put out on stage as a backup dancer for Digital Underground; the same with his performance in the video when he dropped the verse on ‘Same Song.’

“I knew that he was going to give it up that night for his debut release party. Surprisingly, there weren’t many people at the show: mostly industry execs and a few heads from the underground community.”

Although Dotson developed the shots, he decided against publishing them, instead choosing to “create a travelling exhibit of the collection”.

“[W]hen you look at these photos you can see it in [Shakur’s] eyes: the determination, the passion, the swagger, the shine,” Dotson added. 

“These photos show a side of the man not many people got to see. This ‘Pac wasn’t covered in jewels and Versace; this ‘Pac was humble and hungry. He knew what he going for on stage that night, and that was to become the legend that he is.”

The NFT sale ends next Tuesday at 5 am GMT. Click here for more information.