(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Tupac reportedly dated Madonna between 1993 and 1995 and may have ended their relationship because she was white.
TMZ has obtained a handwritten letter penned by Shakur himself from his prison cell. The letter is set to go under auction later this month at Gotta Have Rock and Roll with a starting bid of $100,000.
The emotional note – written when Shakur was 24 just 18 months before his murder – is said to have been sent to Madonna, now 58, as a breakup letter.
Shakur appeared to explain his reasoning behind the decision, writing: “For you to be seen with a black man wouldn’t in any way jeopardise your career, if anything it would make you seem more open and exciting.
“But for me, at least in my previous perception I felt due to my ‘image’ I would be letting down half of the people who made me what I thought I was…I never meant to hurt you.
“Can you understand that?”
In 2015, Tupac’s brother Mopreme Shakur confirmed Madonna’s claims that she and Tupac had dated. She revealed that it began with a “passing of a note” during his Above The Rim press day in 1993.
Shakur began the letter:
“I’ve waited a long time 2 finally write this.
“Mainly because I was struggling to find all the answers so that I wouldn’t leave any unanswered questions.
“First and foremost I must apologise to you because like you said I haven’t been the kind of friend I know I am capable of being.”
Seemingly addressing a public media feud, he continued:
“An interview where you said ‘I’m off to rehabilitate all the rappers and basketball players’ or something to that effect, those words cut me deep, seeing as I’d never known for you to be with any rappers besides myself.
“It was at this moment out of hurt and natural instinct to strike back and defend my heart and ego that I said a lot of things.”
In another section, Shakur wrote:
“Can you feel me?
In the time since, as you can see, I have grown both spiritually and mentally.
“It no longer matters how I’m perceived. Please understand my previous position as that of a young man with limited experience with an extremely famous sex symbol.”
Shakur seemed to want to make peace with Madonna.
“I offer my friendship once again this time much stronger and focused. If you are still interested I would like to further discuss this with you but some of it couldn’t wait…PLEASE BE CAREFUL MADONNA.
“Everyone is not as honourable as they seem. There are those whose hearts bleed with evil and envy.”
In 2015, another handwritten letter by Shakur went up for sale at $225,000.
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur was one of the best-selling and most influential musical artists of all time. To date, Shakur has sold more than 75 million records worldwide and is often seen as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
He was murdered in September 1996 at just 25-years-old.
