2Pac’s First Poetry Book Might Be Auctioned Off For Up To $300,000

2Pac’s words are worth thousands no matter how old they are. The late rapper’s letters from jail as well as other creations he made while in jail have been put up for auction with hefty price tags. Unlike his one-of-a-kind creations, his early work from before he was famous is set to sell for well over $200,000.

On Wednesday, March 23, Sotheby’s began its auction of 2Pac’s childhood poetry book. The seven-page book contains haikus and poems that the rapper, a.k.a Tupac Shakur, wrote when he was 11-year-old. The book of poems was sent to Jamal Joseph, who was the young ‘Pac’s godfather, while Joseph was serving time at the Leavenworth Prison in Kansas back in the ’80s. Joseph held on to the book and eventually sent it back home to his wife.

“I kept it [the haiku booklet] for about a year and then got permission from a prison counselor to send a package home (to my wife Joyce) along with some other letters and legal documents,” Jamal explained to Sotheby’s. “The Guards had been searching cells after a gang stabbing and were messing up prisoners’ books, letters, and photos. If you had money in your commissary account to pay for shipping and a decent counselor you could get a permission slip and take your stuff to the mailroom to send home.”

2Pac dedicated the book to Jamal, Chui Ferguson-El, Sekou Odinga, and Bilahl Sunni Ali, who were all friends of his mother, Afeni Shakur, and imprisoned Black Panthers. It is written in pencil and is comprised of at least five haikus from ‘Pac like “Sunset,” “Ocean,” “Faith” and others. The auction page says the book is estimated to sell for $200,000 – $300,000. The auction will end on March 30.

The book is part of Sotheby’s second collection dedicated to hip-hop. Other items in the collection include 2Pac’s letters to his high school sweetheart at age 17 as well as Chuck D’s original silver Raiders Starter jacket (signed by Chuck himself), a custom sable fur coat and hat that once belonged to the late Biz Markie and the original concept art for Beastie Boys’ License to Ill album cover.