Los Angeles, Jan 23 (IANS) An erotic drawing by late rapper Tupac Shakur has sold for more than $21,000 at an auction.

The colourful artwork was placed up for sale by officials at Steiner Auctions just before Christmas (December 25, 2018), drawing bids from 10 potential buyers, with the winning bid of $21,155.75 placed by a man in his 1960s, according to tmz.com.

The risque piece of art was included in a love letter to Shakur's then-girlfriend Desiree Smith, while he was serving nine months behind bars for a sexual abuse charge at New York's Clinton Correctional Facility back in 1995, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The rap star was later released on appeal.

The hand-drawn card features a steamy illustration of the icon making love to his woman from behind, with a message reading: "Missing You Deeply! Forever with love."

Inside, he wrote: "To Desiree, I love you."

On the back of the drawing, he added: "Just a little something to get you hot and make you reminisse!"