Rare Photo of Tupac Shakur on Roller Coaster Up for Auction
In 1992, the year after releasing his debut studio album, 2Pacalypse Now, Tupac Shakur decided to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. After waiting in line, he strapped into the Viper roller coaster, which automatically took his souvenir picture during an exciting peak of the ride. Now that amazing photograph – which features an autograph on the back – is being sold to the highest bidder as part of auction house Paddle8’s “Legendary Sale.”
A previous auction listing describes the item as “most likely unique color laser print souvenir photo,” in “fine condition” and housed in the “original 6.25 x 4.75 Magic Mountain Viper folder.” The reverse features a personalized black ballpoint autograph from the rapper-actor to his roller coaster seatmate “Daniel,” which reads, “Peace Daniel, Be a Homie. 2Pac.” The piece is accompanied by a letter of provenance from the original owner, which describes the chance encounter with a burgeoning hip-hop legend.
“In 1992, while attending Six Flag’s Magic Mountain…Tupac Shakur happened to be in front of me in the line,” Daniel wrote in the message. “This roller coaster takes a picture of all the occupants on the ride, to be purchased as a souvenir photo. Since Tupac Shakur went on the roller coaster the same time as I did, I purchased a souvenir photo card which contained the picture of him…I approached Tupac Shakur with the souvenir photo card of him and asked him if he would autograph the photo card for me, which he gladly obliged.”
It’s worth noting that while the three other people in the picture appear to be smiling with delight, Tupac’s expression is stoic – as if the roller coaster’s winding turns aren’t fazing him a bit. (Unlike DMX, who shouted some intense gibberish during his viral-friendly amusement park outing).
The auction begins today, June 11th, and the Tupac photo isn’t the only unique item up for grabs. The sale also includes a hand-written note from Elvis Presley on a piece of Hilton Hawaiian Village stationery with one side featuring a setlist for the Pearl Harbor charity concert on March 25th, 1961 and the other a letter to Gary Pepper, the singer’s friend and president of his Memphis fan club.
Other notable items include a termination agreement releasing Notorious B.I.G. from Uptown Records to go to Bad Boy and a 1991 Nirvana concert flyer autographed by the band – Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl – along with the members of Hole (Courtney Love, Patty Schemel, Kristen Pfaff, Eric Erlandson) and Sister Double Happiness member Gary Floyd.