Every so often I check Youtube to see if any more tracks have leaked from from the Wu-Tang Clan's legendary 'Once Upon A Time In Shaolin' album. This was the seventh studio album by the American hip hop group, and only one physical copy of the disc was created, with no ability to download or stream it digitally. The music was recorded in secret over six years, and a single two-CD copy was pressed in 2014 and stored in a secured vault at the Royal Mansour Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, then auctioned through auction house Paddle8 in 2015. A legal agreement with the purchaser stipulated that the album cannot be commercially exploited until 2103, although it can be played at listening parties. The winning bidder was Martin Shkreli, the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, who paid a reported $2 million to win this rarity. In March 2018, following Shkreli's conviction for securities fraud, a federal court seized assets belonging to him, including 'Once Upon A Time In Shaolin', and in July 2021 the US Department of Justice sold it to non-fungible token collectors PleasrDAO for $4 million to cover Shkreli's debts. Recording of the album began in the late 2000's with producer Cilvaringz, and it took about six years to complete. It features the entire Wu-Tang Clan, plus rapper Redman, the Wu-Tang Killa Beez, FC Barcelona soccer players, Game of Thrones actress Carice van Houten, and two appearances from Cher. Inspired by musical patronage in the Renaissance, Wu-Tang producer Cilvaringz decided to create 'Once Upon A Time In Shaolin' as an art object, and feeling that the value of music had been cheapened by streaming and online piracy, he and co-producer RZA hoped to return music to the value of fine art.
The album was held in a silver jewel-encrusted box with a wax Wu-Tang Clan seal and leather-bound liner notes, and as part of the 'art' concept, it was exhibited to a crowd of around 150 art collectors, dealers, and critics in Queens, New York, and about 13 minutes of the album were played to the audience. In January 2016, Shkreli told Vice that he had considered destroying the record or "installing it in some remote place so that people have to make a spiritual quest to listen", but he also promised to release the album free if Donald Trump won the 2016 US presidential election, and after Trump was elected he did stream excerpts of the album online. So far that's all we have heard of it, but Rolling Stone critic Christopher Weingarten wrote that, based on the 13 minutes played in Queens, 'Once Upon A Time In Shaolin' had the potential to become the Wu-Tang Clan's most popular album since 1997. While searching online I stumbled across this album with the same name, and while I was dubious that it was the actual record, I gave it a listen and was pretty impressed with what I heard. It's actually been put together with music produced by @ProjectStrum, and mixed by Youtuber @hidden-chamber. Most of the lyrics comes from the lesser known songs, and from Wu-Tang collaborations with other artists, and it links to the real record by the first track being a commentary on the history of the real album. @ProjectStrum has given some background on his recording process, saying that by 2000 he felt that the classic RZA sound that made the Clan was long gone, so he started to really listen\study his technique and sound, and to make a few remixes with other producer's instrumentals and Wu-Tang a cappella's, and around 2008 he started making his own beats, which have then been remixed by @hidden-chamber. It's all housed in a brilliant retro-looking sleeve, and while it's not what I was originally looking for, it will tide me over until 2103, when we get to hear the real thing.
Track listing
01 Intro
02 In Your Neighborhood
03 Fake Favorites (feat. Killa Sin)
04 11th Chamber
05 Bigger Than Gunz
06 Wu Killahs
07 Lethal Dose
08 Chessboxin'
09 Deadly Scenario (feat. Kool G Rap & Killa Sin)
10 Crane Style
11 Brutality Of War (feat. Killah Priest)
12 Who Want Some
13 Iron Fist
