Is Tupac's iconic Death Row Records necklace real? Drake’s purchase sparks authenticity debate

Drake recently purchased Tupac's iconic Death Row Records necklace. The singer's purchase of the necklace has triggered authenticity debates, especially after the Instagram page channel bomb1stcom posted a message announcing that the necklace was fake:

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news @champagnepapi but you need to go back to that guys business and get your money back. Easy to research and see the difference for yourself both in the letters, bail loop, stones, left shoulder. #drake #2pac."

Other netizens' reactions to the purchase were more mixed, with some believing it to be real, while others supported the theory that it was fake:

"Tupac owned one Death Row pendant...He didn't have more than one...He got the only pendant when a month after he got released from prison in November 1995 from Suge...He got more diamonds on the Death Row pendant and wore it til he got his Euthanasia Makaveli chain in late July 1996-" one netizen stated.

The netizen continued:

"-And 3 days before he got shot,Tupac gave his only Death Row pendant to his young dawg Hussein Fatal at the MTV Award...and Hussein Fatal kept his pendant after Tupac died...Drake doesn't have Tupac's pendant..." the netizen continued.

"It honestly doesn’t matter. Even if it’s real, I feel it’s a bit corny to not have owned any of these things through some personal connections to these people. Buying them through a glorified pawn shop, takes away all the elements of cool from those things." another netizen added.

"The only people saying it’s fake are Kendrick fans who are known to lie about everything Drake related." one commenter supported the authenticity of the necklace.

"Drake and his team have scouted and purchased multiple historical pieces lmao they would never invest in a fake." one reactor opined.

Drake's Tupac necklace is real, as per an artifact collector

While it is not possible to verify the authenticity of the necklace directly, as per Alexander Bitar, the artifact collector involved in the sale of the necklace to Drake, the necklace is indeed a real Tupac necklace.

Bitar released a statement to XXL Magazine on August 25, 2025, reaffirming the authenticity of the necklace:

"Tupac owned multiple Death Row Records pendants—while the exact number is unknown, it was certainly not very large. Some pendants had slight variations, such as differences in stone settings or the bail."

Bitar continued in the statement:

"There is photographic evidence showing him wearing pendants with these minor distinctions. Overall, they all share the same design, but with subtle differences. This is why the Instagram post you referenced is inaccurate."

XXL Magazine

@XXL

https://x.com/xxl/status/1960118743578579080?s=46

The singer has other Tupac jewelry

The singer already has a Tupac jewelry piece, in the form of the Tupac Jesus Piece. A set of custom pendants, the piece is by Jason of Beverly Hills, and the singer acquired the piece for $600,000.

The singer has a number of other items in his jewelry collection. These include the 'Previous Engagement Ring' design necklace, which features a chain with forty-two engagement ring diamonds, with a total carat of 351.38 carats.

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The singer also has a custom owl chain, a 100-carat diamond OVO ring, and a custom '6 chain' in gold. His jewelry is designed by designers like Alex Moss, Ben Baller, and Elliot Avianne. Drake's overall jewelry collection is valued at over $14 million USD, not including the new Tupac necklace.

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