As previously reported, detested former pharmaceutical CEO Martin Shkreli purchased Wu-Tang Clan's legendary $2 million album Once Upon A Time in Shaolin. However, Shkreli (who achieved infamy after raising the price of an HIV medication from $13.50 a pill to $750) has been arrested and charged with securities fraud. This leaves the fate of Wu-Tang's mysterious album uncertain, as federal authorities could seize the asset. Despite massive backlash over his acquisition of the album, Wu-Tang leader RZA says Shkreli can do whatever he wants with the album.
"He bought it. He can do what he wants," said RZA, according to AllHipHop. "If the greatest man in the world was the one who wanted to possess it, it would have been his objective. If my enemy came to an auction and said, 'I want that picture of RZA just to throw darts at it.' It's being auctioned. So I could never discriminate who appreciates art."
RZA envisioned Once Upon A Time In Shaolin as a "once-in-a-lifetime" event in which hip-hop would be valued for its artistic merit. While fine visual art has long attracted a demographic willing to pay millions, few contemporary music works have enjoyed the same status. As a means of combating the perception of music as "free" or "disposable," Wu-Tang created an album that could be purchased by only one person.
Although many reports claimed the album could not be shared for 88 years following its purchase, RZA says Shkreli is entitled to show anyone the material.
"He could do something that could allow more people to hear the record," added RZA. "If he concurs to that, then that would be something really good for art and really good for the Wu fans."
