2Pac fans and collectors have a rare opportunity to own pieces of the late rapper’s early life. Memorabilia from his high school years is now available for auction via Wax Poetics, offering a glimpse into the formative period before he became a global hip-hop icon.
From personal invitations to original music recordings, these items capture the energy, friendships, and creativity of Baltimore youth in the 1980s.
Selected by DJ and music producer GE-OLOGY, the auction features five unique 2Pac-oriented items. Among the highlights is a framed birthday invitation from Jada Pinkett Smith, who was a close friend of the rapper while attending Baltimore School for the Arts. The invitation is valued between $3,000 and $5,000, providing both historical and sentimental significance.
Rare 2Pac high school memorabilia up for auction
"This hand-drawn invitation to Jada Pinkett’s birthday party, dated September 13, 1986, captures a precise moment in Baltimore youth culture, before fame, when future cultural figures were part of the same friendship circles during a pivotal period of their adolescence," reads the press release.
Fans of 2Pac and hip-hop culture will recognize this as a glimpse into the personal side of an artist who shaped rap and pop culture worldwide.
Another highlight of the auction is a 1988 seven-track cassette from the group Born Busy, which included both 2Pac and GE-OLOGY. Documented in Jeff Pearlman’s 2025 biography Only God Can Judge Me, this early recording is estimated to be worth between $120,000 and $150,000.
It represents the earliest original work of 2Pac, showing the roots of his lyrical talent and influence in rap and hip-hop.
Additional items include a graduation banner signed by 2Pac and five photos from GE-OLOGY’s graduation party, providing a tangible connection to the rapper’s youth. The auction captures a rare mix of music history and personal memorabilia, offering fans and collectors a chance to hold a piece of the legacy of one of rap’s most iconic figures.
Jada Pinkett Smith also revisited these formative memories in her 2023 memoir, Worthy, sharing details of their close friendship and a near-marriage proposal in 1995. "The last thing I ever expected was a formal marriage proposal from Tupac. He asked me to answer as soon as possible because his entire existence depended on me saying yes," she wrote, later noting that she "couldn't do it."
For collectors and hip-hop enthusiasts, these items are more than memorabilia; they’re a window into 2Pac’s life before superstardom, revealing the friendships, ambitions, and creative spark that would define one of rap’s most legendary careers.