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.
