Following the recent record-breaking auction of Mariah Carey’s ultra-rare 1988 demo tape, music culture institution Wax Poetics is opening 2026 with another historic moment for collectors and hip-hop fans alike. This time, the spotlight turns to Tupac Shakur, with the launch of a landmark auction featuring some of the rarest known artifacts from the rapper’s pre-fame years — including one of the earliest surviving recordings of Tupac ever documented.
The auction forms part of the Ge-ology Collection, an unprecedented release from producer, DJ, and visual artist Ge-ology, offering public access to his personal archive for the first time. At its centre is a never-before-commercially-released cassette recording capturing a teenage Tupac — then known as MC New York — years before any professional studio work or mainstream recognition.
One of the Earliest Known Tupac Recordings Ever Documented
Recorded around 1988 at Ge-ology’s parents’ home in Baltimore, the cassette features Tupac alongside fellow members of the Born Busy collective:
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Gerard “Ge-ology” Young (DJ Plain Terror)
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Darrin K. Bastfield (Ace Rocker)
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Dana “Mouse” Smith (Slick D)
At approximately 16 years old, Tupac is heard rapping acapella, with the recording originally created so Ge-ology could memorise the verses and later construct beats around them — effectively reversing the production process that would later define professional hip-hop recording.
The tape has been privately preserved for decades and has never been commercially released, making this auction the first opportunity for a collector to own the original cassette from these formative sessions.
The recording has previously been referenced in Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur by Jeff Pearlman, adding further historical weight to the artifact.
A Personal Archive Turned Historical Record
Ge-ology first met Tupac in Baltimore during their teenage years, long before Tupac became a global icon. Their friendship grew through shared immersion in hip-hop culture — from school cyphers and rap battles to freestyle sessions, parties, and after-school hangouts.
For years, Ge-ology remained intentionally private about his relationship with Tupac, viewing it as deeply personal rather than mythic. This collection marks the first time he has chosen to share these materials publicly, framing them not as memorabilia, but as historical documents that capture a lesser-known chapter of Tupac’s life.
“This wasn’t meant to be a performance or a release,” Ge-ology explains.“We were recording acapellas so I could learn the rhymes and build the beats around them. That tape is one of the earliest moments of Tupac being documented, before the world knew who he was.”
Handwritten Lyrics, Rare Photos, and Baltimore-Era Artifacts
Beyond the cassette itself, the collection includes a range of deeply personal and historically significant items, offering rare insight into Tupac’s creative process before fame. These include:
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Handwritten Tupac lyrics, penned in Ge-ology’s family home
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Original archival photographs capturing everyday Baltimore moments — backyard house parties, school friendships, DJ sessions
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A signed 1988 graduation banner, documenting Tupac’s presence at Ge-ology’s graduation barbecue shortly before Ge-ology moved to New York City
Together, these pieces form a cohesive narrative of Tupac’s Baltimore years — a formative period often overlooked in his broader legacy.
More Than Tupac: The Creative Legacy of Ge-ology
While the Tupac material sits at the heart of the auction, the Ge-ology Collection also documents the artist’s broader multidisciplinary career across music and visual culture.
Highlights include:
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The official reverse-board printed proof of Ge-ology’s original artwork for Body Rock, created with Mos Def, Q-Tip, and Tash — a rare artifact from the early Black Star / Lyricist Lounge / Rawkus era
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The only existing full-format canvas print of Ge-ology Plays Ge-ology album artwork, presented alongside a framed CD and original print proof
These pieces underline Ge-ology’s long-standing influence across both hip-hop and contemporary visual art.
Wax Poetics on Preserving Hip-Hop History
According to Alex Bruh, CEO of Wax Poetics, the significance of the collection lies not just in rarity, but in provenance.
“When it comes to music collecting it doesn’t get much bigger than Tupac,” Bruh says. “The fact that these items come from his pre-fame years, directly from his childhood friend Ge-ology, makes them incredibly rare. It’s an honour to present them and shine a light on a less-documented part of Tupac’s story.”
Wax Poetics Collections specialises in authenticated, artist-direct auctions, combining rare collectibles with editorial storytelling to preserve music history with care and context.
Auction Dates and How to View the Collection
The Ge-ology Collection auction goes live on:
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Auction opens: Thursday, January 15, 2026
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Bidding window: January 15 – February 11
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Time: 3 PM ET / 8 PM GMT
View the full collection via Wax Poetics
Coinciding with the launch, Wax Poetics has also released an exclusive interview with Ge-ology, reflecting on his formative years with Tupac and the decision to share the archive now.
Wax Poetics: From Culture Journal to Collectibles Marketplace
Founded in 2001, Wax Poetics began as a deep-dive journal dedicated to record collecting culture. Today, it has evolved into a premier music collectibles marketplace, connecting artists, collectors, and fans through rare, authenticated items.
The Ge-ology Collection follows previous Wax Poetics auctions featuring Arthur Baker, Mariah Carey, Bootsy Collins, Louie Vega, DâM-FunK, and Tony Wilson / Factory Records.
