The WTC’s Once Upon A Time In Shaolin album, the mysterious LP that din’t even have a release within the next half century, is now getting a digitized and encrypted update from its new owners who are offering the public a piece of the album for just $1.
PleasrDAO, the crypto company who purchased the secret LP from pharma king Martin Shkreli for $4.75 million, has update the artwork and now giving up a sampler of the album for just a buck. The album is currently being hosted at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Tasmania, while PleasrDAO had Cali artist Hassan Rahim update the artwork after the first cover because of potential legal issues.
On the album sampler, there is a “Rainy Dayz 2:”, an updated version of the track from Raekwon’s OB4CL album, along with Wu Tang-centered skits like those found on the GZA’s Liquid Swords as well as a guest appearance from Method Man’s Redman. U God even bragged that pop icon Cher appeared on the WTC’s latest double album, which actually wasn’t due to be released until 2103.
On a trip to Egypt in 2004, the RZA first ideated a new Wu-Tang Clan album that would deservedly treat music as high art, not as a commodity to create and distribute quickly and on a dime. By the time the LP Once Upon A Time In Shaolin “came out” in 2015, following almost a decade of studio sessions with the whole Wu, the project became a more pertinent experiment and statement amid streaming’s rising devaluation of music. He and producer Cilvaringz worked heavily on recreating that gritty sound from the 36 Chambers days, compiling verses from every surviving member of the rap group plus some extra names like Redman and Cher.
So when 2015 rolled around, and the album released as a unique physical copy with no digital equivalent, the idea was to tour it around museums, listening events, and the like before landing on a single buyer. Wu-Tang Clan members like Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon all voiced their grievances over remaining in the dark on this release strategy. Despite the internal conflicts of the group, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin stuck to this approach, and its legacy continues to champion this idea, albeit in an altered manner, to this day. But it definitely went through many obstacles to find itself in 2024, and will likely face more. But where did this all start?
Once Upon A Time In Shaolin entered the steep marketplace with some legal stipulations: its eventual owner would not be able to release or profit off of the album until 2103, 88 years after its release. About 150 art aficionados, critics, and art dealers heard the album at a MoMA listening session in 2015, and auction house Paddle8 searched for a buyer. This was more of a compromise when compared to the original vision for this Wu-Tang Clan album to tour the world in a briefcase. Alas, they eventually found the project’s buyer, which opened up a notorious can of worms.
Martin Shkreli Buys The Wu-Tang Clan’s Album In 2015
In 2015, hedge fund head and infamous “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli bought the album at an auction for $2 million. This wasn’t just controversial based on the presumptuous image that he represented as Once Upon A Time In Shaolin‘s owner, but also because of his actions elsewhere. A big narrative around this sale was that Shkreli had raised the price of the anti-parasitic drug Daraprim, for AIDS treatment among other uses, by 5,000%. He promised to leak the album if Donald Trump became U.S. President in 2016, yet upon his election, he only played some snippets here and there and shared them online across various platforms. Shkreli also boasted about playing the album for partners and colleagues, and this obviously caused a stir in the Wu-Tang Clan camp.
How Did The Wu Respond To Shkreli?
The RZA claimed ignorance of Martin Shkreli’s moves to raise Daraprim’s price before they finalized the purchase. In fact, the group apparently donated much of the proceeds behind the sale to charities supporting cancer treatment and other medical efforts to circumvent high pharmaceutical costs. While he defended Shkreli’s right to purchase the album as a hip-hop fan and appreciator of art, others weren’t so keen. Ghostface Killah got into it with the “pharma bro,” resulting in some back-and-forth diss videos in which Shkreli played more of the album. Method Man also spoke on feeling blindsided and at odds with Once Upon A Time In Shaolin in 2017, and others like Raekwon spoke of their differences in the years since.
In 2017, a court convicted Martin Shkreli on federal charges involving security fraud, and while he tried to sell the album on eBay before his imprisonment and 2018 sentencing to seven years, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin became one of the assets that the court seized as part of a $7.3 million forfeit. The Wu-Tang Clan’s album fell into the hands of the U.S. government, and Ghostface Killah and Raekwon were among those who blasted Shkreli after this arrest. But the question of what would happen to the album remained a mystery… until 2021.
Pleasr Takes Over
there are a lot of beautiful ideas of what this art can be and how it can expand itself in the world and have a life of itself — the possibilities are there now.” – RZA
In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the sale of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin in its continued asset seizure of Shkreli. The buyer was later revealed as NFT company PleasrDAO, who bought the Wu-Tang Clan project for $4 million. This doubled its value but still left its future as an uncertain sea of speculation.
On June 10, 2024, PleasrDAO filed a lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court against Martin Shkreli for allegedly playing unauthorized copies of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin since 2021 that breached the terms of his forfeiture order. Not only that, but the company claimed that he boasted about this practice on social media. Shkreli blasted this lawsuit attempt online, calling PleasrDAO “super nerds” that displayed a “lack of diligence” in their arguments.
Once Upon A Time In Shaolin Is Slowly Becoming A Reality… Right?
Apparently, this did not halt Pleasr’s efforts to get the album out to the public little by little… and on their terms. Earlier this June, New York City’s oldest synagogue held a listening event for bits of the album (not in its entirety), and the company announced that the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania would host 30-minute listening events playing select Once Upon A Time In Shaolin cuts twice daily as part of its “Namedropping” exhibition, running from June 15 to June 24. Not only that, but they also reportedly launched five-minute snippets from the Wu-Tang Clan album as NFTs, as part of a reported agreement to “unlock” the album by speeding up the timeline until October 8, 2103 by 88 seconds with each purchase. Will it generate the $28 million necessary to put all the pieces together? Time will tell…
Remember NFTs? It’s okay if you don’t — no one should — but, apparently, no one told PleasrDAO, who now owns Wu-Tang Clan’s one-of-one album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin. You should remember this; the album was recorded in secret over six years, pressed onto one CD copy in 2014, and auctioned for an extravagant amount of money to a person who even RZA regretted giving access to it.
As predicted back when the group of self-declared “DeFi leaders, early NFT collectors, and digital artists” was first revealed to have bought the album from the US government at auction, PleasrDAO has turned the album into an NFT. A representative for the group told Rolling Stone upon its purchase, “This album at its inception was a kind of protest against rent-seeking middlemen, people who are taking a cut away from the artist. Crypto very much shares that same ethos. The album itself is kind of the O.G. NFT.”
According to Consequence, PleasrDAO figured out a loophole in the legal agreement that prevents the album from being commercially exploited until 2103 (of course they did). Each NFT purchase will purportedly speed up the countdown by 88 seconds, although as of now, only a five-minute sampler is available for $1. You can find more information below.
The world’s most expensive album is available for $1.
> Proceeds split with all artists involved in the making. > Art designed by famed artist & designer Hassan Rahim. > We will follow up with further details on airdrops to verified GME holders, holders of the commemorative Zora mint, and additional communities.
Our master plan is to release the music to the public in a way that honors the Wu-Tang Clan and gets them paid while circumventing the streaming oligopoly; every action we are taking is in service of that mission.
Martin Shkreli has found himself embroiled in yet another legal battle. This time, the disgraced former pharmaceutical executive is being sued by PleasrDAO, a digital art collective, over the Wu-Tang Clan’s unique album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, Pitchfork reports. Shkreli originally purchased the one-of-one album in 2015 for $2 million, only to later forfeit it as part of a criminal conviction. PleasrDAO acquired the album in 2021 for $4 million, but recent actions by Shkreli have led to new legal troubles. A lawsuit was filed on June 10 in Brooklyn federal court. PleasrDAO alleges that Shkreli made unauthorized copies of the album and played it publicly. Thus, diminishing its value and violating the terms of his forfeiture order.
Martin Shkreli: From Pharma Bro To Convicted Felon
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Martin Shkreli first gained notoriety as the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals when he infamously raised the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim by over 5,000%. His unapologetic stance and provocative public persona earned him the moniker “Pharma Bro.” However, his business practices soon caught up with him, leading to his arrest in 2015 on securities fraud charges. By 2017, Shkreli was convicted and sentenced to seven years in federal prison. As part of his sentence, he had to forfeit nearly $7.4 million in assets, including the Wu-Tang Clan album.
The Wu-Tang Clan Album: A Unique Musical Artifact
Once Upon A Time In Shaolin” is not just any album; it’s a singular piece of music history. Created as a one-of-a-kind work of art, it was designed to be experienced by a select few. The contract stipulated it cannot be commercially exploited until 2109. This exclusivity was intended to make a statement about the value of music in the digital age. When Shkreli purchased the album, it was seen by many as a fitting symbol of his controversial persona. However, the story took another turn when the album was seized by the federal government as part of his asset forfeiture.
PleasrDAO, a collective known for its digital art and NFTs ventures, purchased Once Upon A Time In Shaolin for $4 million. This happened while Shkreli was serving his prison sentence. According to the lawsuit, Martin Shkreli violated the terms of his forfeiture order by copying the Wu-Tang Clan album and playing it publicly, actions he has openly admitted to on social media. PleasrDAO argues that these actions not only diminish the album’s value but also harm its reputation and ability to commercially exploit the album within the constraints of the original contract.
The Legal Battle & Public Reactions
these super nerds are suing me the least crypto ethos, whitest, least culturally relevant dorks good luck! https://t.co/Qd7D77xcsd
— Martin Shkreli (e/acc) (@MartinShkreli) June 11, 2024
It was literally allowed. It was their lack of diligence that is astonishing.
— Martin Shkreli (e/acc) (@MartinShkreli) June 11, 2024
The lawsuit seeks an inventory of the files Shkreli has, the seizure of his copies, and damages for the alleged breaches. Despite the serious allegations, Shkreli has taken to social media to mock PleasrDAO and defend his actions. “these super nerds are suing me,” he wrote. “the least crypto ethos, whitest, least culturally relevant dorks[.] good luck!”
Conclusion: A Continuing Controversy
As Once Upon a Time in Shaolin prepares to be publicly played at Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the legal and cultural saga surrounding Martin Shkreli and the Wu-Tang Clan album continues to unfold. The outcome of PleasrDAO’s lawsuit could set important precedents for the handling of unique art pieces in the digital age, as well as further cement Shkreli’s infamous legacy.
Wu-Tang ain’t nothing to f*ck with. And Martin Shkreli learned exactly what this means. Today (June 11), New York Post reported that art collective PleasrDAO is suing Shkreli after the notorious Pharmabro allegedly made copies of Wu-Tang Clan‘s Once Upon A Time in Shaolin album.
PleasrDAO claimed that they paid $4.75 million for a one-of-a-kind album by hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, however, that Shkreli made copies and shared the music to the public violates the terms of the purchase.
Shkreli purchased Once Upon A Time In Shaolin back in 2015 for $2 million, however, was later forced to give up the album to partially satisfy a $7.4 million forfeiture order after he was convicted of defrauding hedge fund investors and scheming to defraud investors in a drugmaker back in 2017. Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was released early, and currently remains on supervised release.
According to the report, Shkreli held a “Wu tang official listening party” via online livestream this past Sunday (June 8). PleasrDAO claims that livestreaming the album “greatly diminishes and/or destroys the album’s value” and violates the forfeiture order. The collective is asking that Shkreli destroy his copies of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, turn over profits from disseminating the music, and pay compensatory and punitive damages.
Once Upon A Time In Shaolin was pressed in 2015, and only one physical copy of the album was made. The album cannot legally be sold commercially or uploaded to digital streaming services until 2103, per an agreement with the purchaser, however, the album can be played at listening parties.
A series of listening parties for Once Upon A Time In Shaolin will take place in Hobart, Australia at the Museum Of Old And New Art from June 15–24.
Macklemore’s pro-Palestine song “Hind’s Hall” drew much praise and much backlash for a couple of different reasons, the most obvious of which is a political disagreement with his stance on the current conflict with Israel and Hamas. Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Remedy is one of many who criticized the rapper for this track, and released a response of his own with the diss “Ben” and an accompanying music video. The visual, in addition to showing various statistics and video evidence of some of the topics, also shows a performance in which he dressed up in a stereotypical Jewish “costume,” linking this to alleged antisemitism within “Hind’s Hall.”
Furthermore, Remedy attempts to debunk what he perceives as Macklemore’s bigoted claims about Jewish people and their connections to governance and the media. He will donate all proceeds from the “Ben” track to Polyphony, “an organization that bridges the divide between the Palestinian and Israeli communities, by using music as a common ground,” per the YouTube video’s description. It’s important to note that this is a much more gray, nuanced, and complicated topic than what either MC is letting on in their songs. So take their statements with a grain of salt and do your own research on both sides to avoid bigoted generalizations, blind defense of systemic oppression, or anything in between.
Remedy’s Macklemore Diss “Ben”: Listen & Watch The Music Video
“When I say ‘Free Palestine,’ it’s not against anyone,” Macklemore posted on social media last December, before “Hind’s Hall” came out. “It actually means we should protect everyone. It means equality for all. Respect, peace and love. It means the right to exist, regardless of what sector you’re from. My intention is to never offend anyone. I want every soul in this arena to feel the reflection of love. But there’s innocent humans out in Gaza murdered with our dollars. Those precious human lives are an extension of us.
“I can’t get up here and jump around in a fur coat and pretend while in my gut… my gut’s saying, ‘You know better, Ben,’” Macklemore continued. “The ancestors yelling, ‘You’d better step up for us.’ I love my Jewish brothers and sisters so much. My perspective is one that’s saying ‘Free Palestine’ is also rooted in your protection, my loves. There isn’t a drop of anti-Semitic thought in my head or my blood. ‘Never again,’ means never again for all.”
On June 3, 1997, the Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game gave the world a double dose of their killer bee stings when they dropped the Wu Tang Forever double CD LP.
The album was executively produced by the Abbott himself, RZA, along with assistance from 4th Disciple, Inspectah Deck and True Master. Released to the public under the Loud/RCA imprint with direction from the illustrious Steve Rifkind, this album was certified gold in its first week and was certified 4X platinum by the RIAA within four months of its release.
Some of the hits include the album’s lead, “Triumph”, “Older Gods”, “Duck Season” and the prophetic title of their current album, A Better Tomorrow. The Clan just celebrated 20 years together in 2013 looking back on two decades of music. The Clan is also currently working on an album with Ghostface Killah running the show.
Peace to the entire Clan for giving us such a monumental project without the assistance of radio/video play, which is the mark of true artistry. Salute to RZA, Divine, Power, Steve Rifkind and everyone who helped make this album a timeless classic!
Ghostface Killah can say what he wants. The Wu-Tang rapper has put out classic albums in multiple decades, and his latest, Set the Tone, proves that he hasn’t lost his touch. He’s one of the elite artists in the history of hip-hop, so it makes sense that he would have opinions on where the genre is going. Ghost was interviewed by Rolling Stone on May 22, and he took the current generation of rappers to task for being bad at one specific thing: storytelling. He wants to hear more narratives set to song.
Ghostface asserted that the only storytellers in hip-hop are the ones from his generation. He even cited some of his fellow Wu-Tang Clan members as examples. “I don’t hear n**gas doing storytelling no more, man,” he lamented “There might be Nas. You might still got [Slick] Rick out there doing it, Raekwon [and] GZA.” The rapper blamed this pivot away from storytelling on the desire to make songs that play well in the clubs. “A lot of stuff be regular darts, regular raps,” he added. “Everything with this new generation is about clubs.”
Ghostface Killah Laments Music Being Made For Clubs Only
Ghostface Killah then targeted the current wave of female rappers. He felt they were the most egregious examples of style over substance, and pointed to 90s stars like Foxy Brown and Lauryn Hill as examples of well-balanced artists. “The Lauryn Hills of this sh*t [are] gone,” he told Rolling Stone. “Even the Foxys and sh*t like that, like a lag came over it. But all this other ‘lick my a*s,’ ‘my butthole brown’ sh*t, it’s like … it’s too much.” Ghost didn’t mention any specific names when it came to rappers he didn’t like, but the lyric he used is likely a reference to Sexxy Red.
The one modern rapper who impresses Ghostface Killah is Kendrick Lamar. During a recent interview with Juan Epstein, the Wu-Tang rapper claimed that Lamar made him up his game. “That’s why when I did the record with Kendrick, it was like, ‘Okay… I sat with it and was like — I sent him two verses,” Ghost recalled. “I sent him a ‘just in case’ one. Like, ‘N**ga, if that don’t go, this one [will].’” It probably helps that Lamar has made some of the most ambitious concept albums in hip-hop history. Game will always recognize game.
Ghostface Killah is a legend in any time period. He’s dominated other artists for over three decades, and he’s gone head-to-head with the likes of Biggie and Nas. Ghost’s reputation is bulletproof (insert wallets joke here), which would probably intimidate any rapper who attempted to collaborate with him. Kendrick Lamar is the exception to the rule, apparently. Ghostface Killah talked about his 2022 song with Lamar, “Purple Hearts,” and how impressed he was with the latter’s work ethic. He was so impressed, in fact, that he upped his game.
Ghostface recounted the collab during a recent appearance on the Juan Epstein podcast. He was asked about the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar (because everybody is these days), and he redirected the convo to “Purple Hearts.” The Wu-Tang rapper was “honored” to contribute to Lamar’s double album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. “He put his call in and it was like, ‘Yo, okay. This is one of them names,’” he recalled. “I ain’t take him lightly because his wordplay, his style, y’know what I mean? Now, I just gotta do what I feel.”
Ghostface knew that he couldn’t phone in a verse, however. He put down his bars for “Purple Hearts,” then decided to write and record a second verse just in case. He wanted to make sure Lamar was happy with the final product, so he gave him multiple options. “[These young guys] can really, really rhyme,” he explained. “That’s why when I did the record with Kendrick, it was like, ‘Okay… I sat with it and was like — I sent him two verses. I sent him a ‘just in case’ one. Like, ‘N**ga, if that don’t go, this one [will].’”
This isn’t the first time Ghostface Killah has praised the Compton rapper. During a 2022 interview with Billboard, Ghost gave Kendrick Lamar his flowers and singled him out as one of the best of his generation along with J. Cole. “For a lot these [fans] in the younger generation, [their favorite], it’s either Kendrick or J. Cole,” he noted. “I gave him his praises, and he boomeranged that sh*t back.” This was well before the Big Three battle, but it’s safe to assume Ghost’s high opinion of Lamar is even higher now. The rapper’s victory has even led to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers re-entering the Billboard 200.
Ghostface Killah is an iconic MC who truly requires no introduction. The rap legend has been churning out high-quality releases for over three decades, both as a solo artist and as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. His latest effort, Set the Tone (Guns & Roses) released on May 10, features a wide array of rap industry icons. The record touts guest appearances from the likes of Method Man, Nas, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, and more. Set the Tone (Guns & Roses) marks Ghostface Killah’s return with his first full-length album since 2019’s Ghostface Killahs, providing nearly five full years of new experiences for the artist to cover. Let’s dive into the project and review the material therein.
The Album Starts Off Strong
Ghostface Killah kicks off Set the Tone with the explosive track “6 Minutes,” offering rap verses with Ghost’s trademark brash delivery. The track features guest vocals from Jim Jones, Sheek Louch, and Harl3y, each blending perfectly with Ghost’s grimy East Coast flavor. The second track on the album, “Pair of Hammers,” is handily the best song on the entire project, as Ghost and Method Man exchange lyrical haymakers in a showing of pure Wu-Tang chemistry. Be sure to pack a spare pair of headphones when listening to this song because Method Man’s delivery of “I tell her ‘La-Di-Da-Di’ like I’m Rick / We jammin’ in the party, Bob Marley with the spliff / Black Bugatti with the shift / Look at Johnny, I’m blazin’, got an army, not a clique,” may leave your earbuds smoking.
“Skate Odyssey” continues this high-energy trend with a smooth, jazzy beat and a soulful sung chorus from October London. You wouldn’t normally expect this jazz-inspired vibe to fit well with Ghostface Killah’s in-your-face delivery, but the track manages to achieve perfect harmony with the juxtaposition. Raekwon appears for a brief feature on the back end, proving once again that Ghost works best alongside his Wu affiliates.
Set The Tone Begins To Lose Steam Halfway Through
While some tracks manage to maintain interest, such as “Scar Tissue” with Nas and “No Face” with Kanye, Set the Tone (Guns & Roses) begins to falter at the halfway mark. The album runs 19 tracks over the course of 52 minutes, with a solid amount of filler padding out the back end. Tracks such as “Kilo in the Safe,” “Cape Fear,” and “Locked In” are completely forgettable and frankly should have been left on the cutting room floor. Ghostface Killah also chose to cram a handful of pointless skits into the mix, which sees him speaking about cereal, flirting with a woman over the phone, and roasting his friends on a video call.
While Ghostface Killah does experiment with different sounds on a few tracks, many of them come off as bland and unfinished. Such is the case for the Reggae-inspired “Champion Sound,” which features Beniton singing in patois, or the Caribbean dance-inspired “Shots” with Busta Rhymes. While these tracks aren’t the lowest point on the album, they are mostly forgettable, with Ghost failing to bring enough energy to keep listeners attentive.
There Are Some Major Low Points
Despite Ghost’s best efforts, he throws some serious duds into the mix here, with tracks like “Bad B****” and “Touch You” offering absolutely no value to listeners. The latter track is a misguided love and sex ballad that makes the baffling decision to heavily interpolate Mario’s 2004 hit “Let Me Love You.” However, the absolute lowest moments on this record come from the songs “Plan B” and “Trap Phone.”
“Plan B” is an absolutely repugnant song that painstakingly lays out a narrative of Ghostface Killah cheating on his spouse and forcing his lustful affair to take a Plan B pill so as not to disrupt his existing family. All of this is punctuated with thousands of layers of obnoxious autotune. This track isn’t even worth listening to out of morbid curiosity. Furthermore, “Trap Phone” isn’t even really a Ghostface song at all, as Chucky HollyWood takes the lead for about 80 percent of the runtime, with a completely unlistenable whining autotune effect that sounds like he let a child loose in the studio to play with the vocal effect knobs.
Conclusion
Ghostface Killah does manage to recoup some interest in the final moments of Set the Tone (Guns & Roses) with an energetic final track titled “Yupp!” with Remy Ma. This song might have had a shot at bringing the vibe back, but it’s just too little too late after combing through some of the missteps. While the album does have some major high points, especially in the first handful of tracks, it falls flat overall.
Rolling! 
