By Ben Wheeler
THIS IMPORTANT piece of pop culture history could be yours for just US$1.5 million after going on sale in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The item in question is a Black 1996 BMW 7-Series once leased by Death Row Records, the label founded by Hip-Hop pioneers, the legendary Dr. Dre and controversial Suge Knight.
However, the vehicle is most well-known for being the car in which rapper, Tupac Shakur, was famously shot and killed in 1996, in what was and still is one of the biggest events in the history of modern music.
A representative for the dealership selling the car, Celebrity Cars Las Vegas, said: “This is the first time this car has ever been up for sale or on display since Tupac’s death in 1996.
“It has been completely restored to the condition it was in before his death and has just received a new coat of paint.
“There is a small indentation where we believe one of the bullet holes was, but it is hard to tell, other than that it is fully restored.
“The wheels have been replaced with the same wheels that it had at the time of the shooting, it runs great and is in excellent condition.
“The new owner will be provided with documentation proving ownership and history. The car has had several owners since the shooting but the most recent put it through a full restoration.”
The drive-by shooting took place in Vegas on Saturday, September 7, 1996 after Tupac and Knight had been in attendance at the MGM Grand to see Mike Tyson’s world title contest against Bruce Seldon.
Earlier in the evening, a fracas had broken out at the venue when one of Knight’s associates spotted a member of a rival gang who had history with Death Row.
Later in the evening, after leaving the venue, Shakur and Knight were driving down Los Angeles boulevard where they stopped for a red light at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane in front of the Maxim Hotel.
As they were sat at the lights, a white, four-door Cadillac pulled up alongside them, rolled down the window and proceeded to rapidly fire gunshots at Shakur.
He was hit four time, twice in the chest, once in the arm and once in the thigh, with one of the bullets penetrating his right lung. Knight was also hit in the head by fragmentation.
Despite his and Shakur’s injuries, Knight managed to drive the pair a mile from the scene before being pulled over by a bike patrol who alerted paramedics through their radio who took Knight and Shakur to University Medical Center of Southern Nevada.
Whilst Knight was released from hospital the following day, Shakur remained heavily sedated and on life support, ultimately being put in an induced coma after repeatedly trying to get out of bed.
While in the critical care unit, on Friday, September 13, Shakur died of respiratory failure that led to cardiac arrest after removal of his right lung.
For more information see – http://www.celebritycars.com/detail-1996-bmw-7_series-tupac_shakur_-used-16762570.html
