Boomer rock acts such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Paul Simon have made the biggest splash selling their music catalogs for 9-figure sums. Synchtank explores the possibility of catalogs of hip-hop artists reaching those levels. Trapital's Dan Runcie believes hip-hop catalogs are indeed undervalued and that the "music that came out from the mid-90s to mid-2010s will be especially popular with the Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z. Some investors may undervalue hip-hop because they identify more with Paul Simon than Paul Wall. Another group of investors will recognize the opportunity".

"I’m anxious to be accepted and for people to know what I’m about. More than is necessary I hang on other peoples’ thoughts of me. That hurts or slows me sometimes" - Shock G said in a great Alice Price-Styles interview back in 2014. The interview went deep into Shock G's relationship with another late hip-hop great, Tupac Shakur, and his mother who at first didn't like her son hanging out with the prospective rapper. "I was fed up and like 'Ma, he had a rough time'. She said 'I know Gregory. You know how I know? He has those eyes that little kids give you in the grocery store when they’re not getting love at home and they’re like "will you save me? Will you take me home? Will you feed me?” But they’re not allowed to say anything, and they look at you a little too long'. She said Pac had those eyes when she first was around him". The visionary hip-hop bandleader died last week.

Crime drama 'City of Lies' about the murder of Notorious B.I.G. is finally coming out next week (it was postponed three years ago due to Johnny Depp’s public image at the time). 'City of Lies' is based on the true story of Biggie's death in 1997. The movie follows a retired LAPD detective named Russell Poole (Depp) and a journalist (Forest Whitaker) as they try to uncover the identities of those responsible for the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie.

Sotheby will host its first-ever hip-hop auction featuring two prized items from The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, Reuters reports. The September auction features 120 lots and showcases iconic artifacts, contemporary and fine art, one-of-a-kind experiences, vernacular photography, vintage and modern fashion, historic and modern jewelry and luxury goods, and rare flyers and posters. The two headlining items are the crown worn and signed by Biggie Smalls from his epochal 1997 'King of New York' photo from his last-ever photoshoot and an archive of 22 handwritten love letters that Shakur penned to his high school sweetheart.

Death Row Records is now on Bandcamp, which means Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic' is on Bandcamp, as is Snoop Dogg's 'Doggystyle', 2Pac's 'All Eyes On Me', Tha Dogg Pound's 'Dogg Food', and more - check it out all here. The release is just in time for this month's Bandcamp First Fridays fundraiser, Exclaim reports. Death Row was bought by eOne music in 2013, and then acquired by toy company Hasbro when Hasbro bought eOne for $3.8 billion last year.