RZA says he regrets selling Wu-Tang Clan album to Martin Shkreli

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RZA has said that he regrets selling Wu-Tang Clan’s ‘Once Upon A Time In Shaolin’ album to ‘pharma-bro’ Martin Shkreli.

Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA recently spoke about the sale of the only known copy of the 2015 album with New York radio station Hot 97, which was purchased by Martin Shkreli. Shkreli, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence on fraud-related charges, made headlines after obtaining the manufacturing license for the drug Daraprim — primarily used to treat AIDs — in 2015, and subsequently raising its price from US$13.50 to $750 per pill. 

In the interview, rapper RZA said that the deal had been made to sell ‘Once Upon A Time In Shaolin’ “before it was revealed of his character, of his personality, and all of the insidious things he would go on to do”. 

Wu-Tang spent six years recording the 31-track double album, which was packaged in a handmade silver and nickel case. At the time it was produced, band member RZA stated he wanted the release to be viewed as a piece of contemporary art. 

Earlier this month, ‘Once Upon A Time In Shaolin’ was sold to crypto group PleasrDAO for an undisclosed sum.

In 2016, Shkreli promised to release ‘One Upon A Time…’ if Donald Trump won the US Presidential Election and destroy it if Hilary Clinton emerged as victor. In the end, the intro and one of the tracks were streamed. Shkreli also claims to have a copy of Lil Wayne’s unreleased album, ‘Tha Carter V’.

In 2019, an area of the crew’s birthplace — Staten Island, New York — was named Wu-Tang Clan District to honour their original home of Park Hill, Clinton. Last year, the Clan published a printed guide on how to ‘Protect Ya Neck’ during the coronavirus pandemic in a nod to their classic 1993 track.