Fans of the legendary group Wu-Tang Clan are outraged at the news that the group will manufacture a single copy of their upcoming album, The Wu – Once Upon a Time In Shaolin and auction it off to just one buyer.
Billboard is reporting that the RZA, a member of the group, says Wu-Tang has already received an offer of $5 million for the one-of-a-kind LP.
Billboard says the RZA tells them, “So far, $5 million is the biggest number. I don’t know how to measure it, but it gives us an idea that what we’re doing is being understood by some. And there are some good peers of mine also, who are very high-ranking in the film business and the music business, sending me a lot of good will. It’s been real positive.”
The album website says, “The music is available for purchase and ownership by one individual only. It is presented in a hand carved nickel-silver box designed by the British Moroccan artist Yahya.”
The Atlantic reports the album will make appearances at museums around the world, where fans and critics can listen to it one at a time after being patted down by security, and then the only copy will be “auctioned off, secreted in the home of its super-wealthy new owner, and kept insulated from the prying ears of the masses.”
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The new double Wu-Tang album consisting of 31 new tracks was exclusively recorded in secret with the entire Wu-Tang Clan and produced by Cilvaringz, under the supervision of the RZA.
“A notable few have explored original and creative economic models. Prince, Radiohead and more recently Jay Z and Beyonce have all introduced new financial and distribution models and challenged the industry structure,” the album website states.
“In 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan introduced the revolutionary ‘Wu-Tang deal’ which allowed the group to sign with one record label as an entity, but sign separate deals with other major labels for solo releases. It was an approach adopted by many groups that followed. Now 21 years later a new approach is introduced, one where the pride and joy of sharing music with the masses is sacrificed for the benefit of reviving music as a valuable art and inspiring debate about its future among musicians, fans and the industry that drives it.”
You can check out the website here.
The group is also planning to release another album, A Better Tomorrow, the conventional way.