More about: Madonna

Madonna has halted the online auction that was to sell a number her personal items. These included a letter sent to the ‘Material Girl’ singer by the late rapper Tupac Shakur and a hairbrush containing Madonna’s hair.

As previously reported on Gigwise, the letter from Tupac – written while he was in jail serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence assault – blamed racial tensions for their split. It was expected to fetch up to $400,000.

Manhattan state Supreme Court Judge Gerald Leibovitz ordered the Gotta Have It! Collectibles website to remove 22 items from its rock-and-roll-themed auction scheduled for today (July 19).

“The fact that I have attained celebrity status as a result of success in my career does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items,” Madonna said in court papers via The Associated Press. “I understand that my DNA could be extracted from a piece of my hair. It is outrageous and grossly offensive that my DNA could be auctioned for sale to the general public.”

Other items from the singer scheduled to be auctioned were private photographs, personal letters and cassette tapes of unreleased recordings.

The court papers name a former friend of the singer, Darlene Lutz, as being responsible for the personal property being auctioned off against the singer’s wishes.

A spokesperson for Lutz said said the allegations will be "vigorously challenged and refuted" in court: “Madonna and her legal army have taken what we believe to be completely baseless and meritless action to temporarily halt the sale of Ms. Lutz’s legal property. We are confident that the Madonna memorabilia will be back.”

More about: Madonna