A pre-Infinite cassette with Eminem’s artwork, a sealed SSLP snippet tape and other rare memorabilia are back on the auction block.
This time, however, these items aren’t from Marshall’s personal collection and are not going up for sale to raise money for charity. The owners have submitted the items, along with short stories documenting their provenance. The items are being auctioned through the Wax Poetics website
The owner describes Infinite as a first-press vinyl record, bought directly from Eminem at Detroit’s Hip Hop Shop in 1996, onthe day Eminem won a battle there.
An even rarer item seems is a from Soul Intent, “F#@!in’ Backstabber” b/w “Biterphobia”. It features a guest appearance from Proof and artwork drawn by Eminem. At the time, however, his name was spelled M&M. It was released in 1995 and has never been played. It remains sealed and is graded near mint.
Compared with these two rarities, the rest of the offering doesn’t look that exciting. The other items are Stretch Armstrong Presents Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP Snippet Tape, a sealed 1998 promo, and a sealed first-press double LP of The Marshall Mathers LP. This difference is reflected in the pricing. While the two less-rare items remain under $1,000, the bids for “F#@!in’ Backstabber” and Infinite have reached $1,600 and $1,350, respectively.
Bidding ends on October 8, and there is little doubt the final prices will go higher. At the end of the day, a copy of Infinite signed by Eminem sold for $104,920, setting a new all-time record for a hip hop vinyl.