Mic thrown by Cardi B at fan sells for nearly $100,000 at auction
The microphone that Cardi B hurled at an unruly fan last month in Las Vegas is now worth a whole lot more than it used to be, selling for nearly $100,000 Tuesday in an eBay auction.
The mic was initially put on sale by Scott Fisher, the owner of The Wave Inc, a Las Vegas-based audio production company that provided sound equipment to Drai's Beachclub on the day of the incident, according to Fisher.
He told CBS News that his company, which gives audio support to many nightclubs, has been providing audio gear to Drai's since their grand opening at the Cromwell Hotel over nine years ago.
On July 29, in an incident captured on cell phone video, a fan threw a liquid at Cardi B as she was performing on stage at the Las Vegas beach club. In retaliation, the rapper threw her mic at the audience member. The fan made a police complaint about the incident, but Cardi B was not charged.
Fisher eventually retrieved the mic and put it up for auction, committing the proceeds to two charities: Friendship Circle Las Vegas and the Wounded Warrior Project.
He said he was able to verify that the mic, a Shure AD2 Axient Digital, was in fact the one launched into the crowd because of how it was labeled and synchronized with Cardi B's earpiece.
"It's standard procedure to mark all microphones and in ear systems as to whom they 'go to' prior to soundcheck to make sure the same person gets the correct items during the show," Fisher told CBS News. Additionally, "you could see white tape on the Cardi B mic in all the videos, and that is how we knew which mic was hers."
Fisher said he also verified the microphone a third way — checking with Drai's sound technician to confirm the mic's labeling — "main" — as well as the receiver it was synced to.
According to the mic's listing on eBay, it still works and would be given to the buyer with a letter from Fisher certifying the microphone's authenticity, as well as a custom display case from a company that volunteered to make one after hearing about the mic's sale.
More than 120 people bid for the item.
Fisher said that while he expected the mic to garner some bids, he never thought the "piece of hip hop infamy" would sell for nearly $100,000. The brand and model of that mic, one not thrown by Cardi B, typically retails for close to $1,000.
"I was hoping it would hit $5,000 but again I had no idea," the small business owner said. "I figured it would gain some attention nationally but the amount of news coverage has been staggering."
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Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.