Tupac's Look: Bandana, Clothing and Jewelry

A front-knotted cloth, the ends standing up over his forehead like two bunny ears: with Tupac Shakur, a single detail is enough to define his silhouette. His style shaped nineties fashion and has been quoted by designers and musicians ever since. As with his Tattoos, the archive separates established facts from myths when it comes to clothing and jewelry: we only record what is documented by photos, contemporary reports, and auction catalogs. Whatever merely circulates as an assertion through fan forums is left out.

Bunny ears over the forehead: A cloth becomes a trademark

Wikipedia lists the bandana tied into bunny ears as one of the most distinctive stylistic elements in hip-hop. The motif owes its most effective staging to the Dutch photographer Dana Lixenberg: she portrayed Tupac in Atlanta in 1993 for Vibe with a front-knotted bandana, raindrops on his open denim shirt, and a diamond crucifix on his chest (see Photographers). The pictures by Chi Modu, then photo editor of The Source magazine, also show Tupac with a bandana and a bare torso.

The meaning of the cloth, however, was determined by the location. In Los Angeles, gangs wore colors; a red or blue cloth could mean quick trouble there (see Tupac and Gangs). With Tupac, this code receded behind the image: he wore the cloth as a personal trademark. No statement of his own about why he wore it has survived.

Auctioned bandanas: Certificates without independent verification

On the collector’s market, the look nevertheless achieves high prices: auction houses have been offering bandanas for years that are said to have belonged to Tupac. On April 1, 2020, the Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction listed a worn blue and a red cloth, estimated at $2,000 to $4,000 each, according to the catalog from the possession of a close family friend. In March 2023, the auction house Gotta Have Rock and Roll followed with a red bandana. The certificates of authenticity from the houses are based on statements by the sellers, not on independent verification.

Over a million dollars: The crown ring breaks records

The diamond crucifix in Lixenberg’s portrait is among the most visible pieces, but the best-known piece of jewelry is the crown ring. Tupac designed it himself; he wore it at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 4, 1996, three days before the shooting in Las Vegas. On July 26, 2023, the rapper Drake bought it at auction at Sotheby’s in New York for $1,016,000, as Billboard later reported. That was more than three times the estimate and, according to Sotheby’s, the highest price for a hip-hop artifact.

The ring made of gold, ruby, and diamonds bears the engraving “Pac & Dada 1996” on the band. “Dada” refers to Kidada Jones, to whom he was engaged. It was consigned by his godmother and advisor Yaasmyn Fula. She said that after prison and his contract with Death Row, Tupac wanted a symbol for the next stage of his career: “an act of self-coronation”.

In March 2023, an “M.O.B.” pinky ring was also offered, along with a Versace bracelet and his mug shot (Vibe).

Gianni Versace and Grant Hill: What is documented about fashion brands

Brands like Karl Kani, Timberland, Versace, or Jordans appear in search queries. However, the archive does not adopt any brand list that is not tied to a dated photo or report. Two connections are documented from the sources: according to the estate, Tupac cultivated a friendship with the designer Gianni Versace and walked in a Versace show in Italy in 1996 (Advocate, 2012). Furthermore, basketball player Grant Hill recalled sending him shoes from the brand Fila; a photo in the booklet of All Eyez on Me (1996) shows Tupac in Fila’s Grant Hill 2. In 2022, the estate turned this into a clothing collection said to be based on pieces he owned (Merchandise and Fashion).

Contradictions as style: Street meets theater

The appeal lay in the tension: the image of the street fighter with a bandana, tattoos, and open shirt met the person who had danced ballet and played Shakespeare (see Poetry, Shakespeare and Theater). Wikipedia describes him as a sex symbol whose style shaped nineties fashion and has a lasting influence on artists and fashion enthusiasts. Whether the pose was staging or an attitude remains a matter of interpretation.