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Wu-Tang Clan to sell only one copy of their latest album

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G

gutshot

Member
WuTang1-e1395794252557.jpg


Via The Verge:

As music sales have dwindled over the years, artists have increasingly turned to making special editions of their albums to entice hardcore fans to spending more hard-earned cash — but there's never been an album quite like what Wu-Tang Clan is cooking up. In addition to releasing a 20th anniversary album this summer called A Better Tomorrow, the hip-hop collective also recorded a double album in secret over the last two years — and is only releasing one single copy of it.

As reported by Forbes, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin will be encased in a silver and nickel box crafted by British-Moroccan artist Yahya and will probably sell for millions of dollars. However, before it is sold, the one-of-a-kind album will tour the world as many other famous pieces of art do, with stops at museums, galleries, and potentially music festivals. Fans will be charged a cost to attend a "listening event," where they'll get a chance to hear the album on headphones after being carefully screened for recording materials.

"We're about to put out a piece of art like nobody else has done in the history of [modern] music," says Wu-Tang Clan member Robert "RZA" Diggs. "We're making a single-sale collector's item. This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king."

One that exhibition tour is compete, Wu-Tang Clan will sell the album for an unspecified price in the millions of dollars — from there, its owner will be free to do what it wants with it. While it's too early to say who will shell out the cash for this unique item, Forbes speculates that brands may be interested in the cachet of having this exclusive album; another option may include a wealthy collector purchasing it and either liberating the audio for the masses or keeping the songs for themselves.

"The idea that music is art has been something we advocated for years," says RZA. "And yet its doesn't receive the same treatment as art in the sense of the value of what it is, especially nowadays when it's been devalued and diminished to almost the point that it has to be given away for free." Whether or not Wu-Tang Clan is able to find enough people who want to go experience their album in a museum to make an impact remains to be seen — as does the viability of a multi-million dollar unique pressing of that album, but the group is OK with its plan going awry. "It might totally flop, and we might be completely ridiculed," says co-producer Tarik "Cilvaringz" Azzougarh "But the essence and core of our ideas is to inspire creation and originality and debate, and save the music album from dying."
Click to expand...

The original Forbes article goes into a bit more depth on the genesis of this album and features more quotes from RZA and others. It's worth a read.
 
D

Dizzle24

Member
I've been a Wu fan since 1994, but Come the fuck on. Seriously? Secret album? Shame on the Rza for tryin to run game on the fans.
 
B

Bolivar

Banned
Unless they prohibit music studios from purchasing the album I don't see how they won't win the bidding war. They have way more money to put into the album than any collector would have.
 
T

The Adder

Banned
This is interesting. More interesting if someone who isn't with a label and won't sell to one gets their hands on it.

In addition to the album itself, this whole concept is art. Whether of the good or bad variety I can not yet say.
 
B

Borgnine

MBA in pussy licensing and rights management
Ridiculous, my kid could be a rap group, record an album and put it in a silver and nickel box crafted by British-Moroccan artist Yahya.
 
G

.GqueB.

Banned
If the owner is smart they'll keep it and only let people listen via listening parties. Completely naked so there are no recording devices (check all assholes) and then they have to fuck off. Charge $25 a head.
 
H

Heel

Member
I have to wonder if distribution rights to a Wu-Tang Clan album is worth millions of dollars to a record company in 2014.
 
N

NYCrooner

Member
.GqueB. said:
If the owner is smart they'll keep it and only let people listen via listening parties. Completely naked so there are no recording devices (check all assholes) and then they have to fuck off. Charge $25 a head.
Click to expand...

I approve this.

Great marketing idea from the Wu.
 
G

.GqueB.

Banned
I don't even like the fact that they are selling it for millions. Cheapens it someone. Should sell it to a random person for a dollar.

Me
 
C

Cyan

Banned
Koppai said:
They should donate the money to charity (this is without me reading the whole article)
Click to expand...

Why?

I mean, sure, donating money to charity is always a good thing. But what specifically about this... interesting distribution scheme suggests charity to you?
 
E

Esch

Banned
As I said in gaf hop, this is wack. Wu Tang is supposed to be for the people. This supply constrained, artificial crap is snooty as fuck. Its the kind of bullshit I'd expect from Ye, Jay, Diddy or Dre... Just lame. Work hard and give us good music because you havent been good since the 90s. Wu should be the fucking Beatles of rap, but their egos and stupid shit like this is getting in the way.
 
J

Jado

Banned
Mr. Sandman said:
Somewhere Kanye West is furious that he didn't think of this first.
Click to expand...

Kanye will one-up them by simultaneously screening 100 listens in 100 secure booths that will erase each track after you've finished listened to it. Everyone will start and finish at the same time and at the conclusion be led out to a main event floor to discuss, tweet, blog anything about the album they just heard. In the end, there will be nothing but 100 blank discs.

Artist of the Century.
 
S

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
I used to be a huge Wu fan so I don't say this with hate, but I can't imagine whatever it is living up to the hype they're trying to create around it. The scarcity is the only remarkable thing about it.

If I was a millionaire I'd buy it then just bust it into pieces on a curb just to be a dick.
 
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