I WANT MY MTV -FAB 5 FREDDY'S LEGENDARY GOLD AND DIAMOND "MTV" RING GOLD AND DIAMOND RING, CA 1988 On Sale at Soethby's

The auction was curated and organized by VP, Senior Specialist Cassandra Hatton in collaboration with Monica Lynch, former president of Tommy Boy Records (1981-1998) who helped launch the careers of legends Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, and Naughty by Nature, among many others.

15 September 2020 • 6:00 PM EDT • New York20 round diamonds weighing approximately .50 carat

Gross weight approximately 48 dwts

Ring size approximately 12 ¼

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS AND UNIQUE PIECES OF HIP HOP JEWELRY - FAB 5 FREDDY'S GOLD AND DIAMOND "MTV" RING

At the time that Yo! MTV Raps! burst onto the scene in 1988, the style in jewelry was thick gold rope necklaces, crosses, heavy medallions, Mercedes logos and the like, but the shows's host, Fab 5 Freddy, wanted a piece that was totally unique, so he decided to design his own. To create the piece, Freddy worked with Tito the Jeweler, aka "Manny", the first Hip Hop jeweler, who had built up a loyal following, creating custom over-the-top pieces for drug dealers and pimps in the 1970s. Eventually, all the big Hip Hop stars became his clients, including Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, Biggie, LL Cool J, and of course, Fab 5 Freddy. 

Fab 5 Freddy, is a visual artist, filmmaker and Hip Hop pioneer. In the late 1970s, he was a member of the Brooklyn-based graffiti group, the Fabulous 5, who specialized in painting the sides of subway cars. His name was first introduced to the pop culture scene when Blondie name-checked him in her 1980s hit "Rapture", saying "FAB 5 FREDDY told me everybody's fly." He went on to play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the early rap and graffiti scene of New York's uptown, and the punk music and art scene of downtown. He would go on to co-produce the legendary film Wild Style with Charlie Ahearn, and hosted the wildly popular MTV show Yo! MTV Raps.

A portion of Sotheby’s proceeds will benefit the Queens Public Library Foundation, to support their Hip Hop Programs, coordinated by “Uncle” Ralph McDaniels, as well as Building Beats, a non-profit community organization that teaches tech, entrepreneurial and leadership skills to underserved youth through DJ and music programs.PROVENANCE:

Courtesy Fab 5 Freddy