A previously unheard cassette tape believed to contain the earliest surviving recordings of Tupac Shakur has surfaced and is now up for auction, sending shockwaves through hip-hop history and collector circles.

Recorded between 1987 and 1988, the seven-track cassette captures Tupac at just 16 years old, long before global fame, industry backing, or platinum plaques. At the time, he was performing under the alias MC New York, experimenting with rhyme, cadence, and message while still finding his artistic voice.

From a Friend’s Archive to Hip-Hop History

The tape comes directly from the personal archive of Ge-ology, Tupac’s childhood friend and early collaborator. For decades, Ge-ology safeguarded the cassette, keeping it private as a deeply personal artifact from their youth.

Now, the recording is being made available through Wax Poetics as part of its curated “Tupac Grails & Hip Hop History” collection — a rare archive documenting Tupac’s life before the world knew his name.

“This tape is one of the earliest moments of Tupac being documented, before the world knew who he was,” Ge-ology explained. “I’ve protected it for decades, and now it feels right for it to be shared properly, as history.”

Inside the Cassette: Tupac Before the Legend

The recordings were made in Baltimore, where Tupac lived during his teenage years. The sessions were informal and raw — mostly acapella performances recorded at Ge-ology’s parents’ home. The tape includes material from Tupac’s first known group, Born Busy, offering a rare snapshot of his earliest creative environment.

Track titles include:

• Babies Having Babies (1987)

• We Work Hard (July 12, 1988)

• Born Busy (Live Freestyle)

• Check It Out!

• That’s My Man Throwin’ Down

• I Saw Your Girl

• Terror’s On The Tables (dedicated to DJ Plain Terror)

While sonically unpolished, the recordings already reveal themes that would later define Tupac’s career — social awareness, urgency, storytelling, and raw emotional expression.

Why This Tape Matters

Hip-hop historians are calling the cassette “extraordinary and irreplaceable.” Unlike demos recorded just before an artist’s debut, this tape documents Tupac before industry influence, before professional studios, and before fame reshaped his trajectory.

It predates his connections with Digital Underground, Leila Steinberg, and his official entry into the commercial rap world — making it one of the purest surviving records of Tupac as a developing artist.

Auction Details & Cultural Value

The cassette is expected to fetch $120,000–$150,000, reflecting its rarity and cultural importance. While the winning bidder will own the physical tape and memorabilia, the purchase does not include music publishing or intellectual property rights.

The auction also includes:

• Handwritten lyric sheets

• Rare photographs of Tupac DJing at a party

• A signed graduation banner

• Additional personal artifacts from Ge-ology’s archive

Together, the collection provides a rare, intimate look at Tupac’s teenage years — a chapter of hip-hop history few have ever seen.