NYS Music 202​1

Tag: Wu-Tang Clan

  • Owner of Exclusive Wu Tang Clan Album Revealed

    The anonymous owners of the one-of-a-kind Wu Tang Clan album have been revealed. Once Upon a Time in Shaolin — formerly owned by disgraced hedge fund manager and pharmaceutical executive, Martin Shkreli, before being convicted of securities fraud — was seized in 2018 and recently sold by the U.S. government as a part of a $7.4 million forfeiture judgement. 

    After Shkreli was forced to sell the album, the original buyers were kept hidden from the public, with the sale being handled by NYC based lawyer, Peter Coolidge, who revealed that he has been one of the very few to listen to the project.

    It didn’t disappoint at all. It was pretty reminiscent of the ‘90s stuff. The first album was really good. All the first solo albums were good, like, Return to the 36 Chambers, Liquid Swords, Ironman, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, whatever,” he said. “And then they did some albums after that, that were perhaps not their best work. But this is like, up there with the best stuff.

    Now, the new owners of the suis generis album have been revealed to be NFT investment collective, PleasrDAO. The group revealed itself as the anonymous entity that purchased the album from the federal government in July for a reported $4 million.

    While Shkreli clashed with Wu Tang Clan almost immediately after purchasing the album, the new owners — who specialize in digitized art — may have more consumer-friendly plans in mind. While the album comes with a ton of contractual limitations (It can’t be commercially released until 2103; it can’t be remixed or recorded; and it can’t be played in front of large audiences, streamed, or even broadcast online), PleasrDAO Chief Pleasing Officer, Jamis Johnson, revealed to Rolling Stone plans to “bring the album back to the people.” With plans to curate listening parties throughout the world that will allow the general public a chance to hear the

      They bonded together to form a collective more powerful than any individual had on their own. Fuck these middlemen for taking all the money that should be going to the artists perfectly aligns with the ethos of crypto.

    Despite the limitations imposed on the album, PleasrDAO believe they have the same interests of the Clan, who began to encourage the album being made available on a wider scale as their dissatisfaction with Shkreli grew. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbY74KvIYEw

  • Wu-Tang Is For (Teaching) The Children

    An old saying — part marketing tool, part observation based on the group’s lyrical content — “Wu Tang is for the Children” is proving itself to be true after all. Throughout their decorated history, the Wu Tang Clan has impacted music, culture, television, fashion and now — nearly 30 years after their debut — the Clan is still impacting today’s school-children.

    Wu Tang is for the children

    As first reported in NYSUT UNITED, the Wu have developed a new legion of followers and they refer to themselves as the “Depew-Tang Clan.” Amidst the pandemic, Depew Middle School teacher, Joe Cena, noticed that less than half of his eight grade students were completing their independent reading requirements. As remote learning conditions prevented teachers from having a hands-on connection with their students, Cena acted desperately. 

    To motivate students, Cena created a prestigious “Wu Wall” where students would earn a spot whenever they completed an assignment or quiz. Cena didn’t stop there, he also ordered a bunch of Wu Tang themed stickers and magnets, took pictures of the children and used an online name generator to give them their official Wu Tang Clan names. 

    As silly as it is, it definitely increased their motivation to read books.

    Joe Cena

    The Wu’s impact on Depew Middle School didn’t end there, as Cena began to explain the art of rhyming to the children using verses from the Clan. As part of the poetry unit, he presented the song “Triumph” with color-coded lyrics to explain the intricacies of rhyme patterns. 

    Although Depew operates inconspicuously as part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolis, Cena’s innovate and creative efforts to motivate his students did not go unnoticed. 

    As part of an effort to have Cena recognized, student, Aleigha Sharpe, secretly reached out to several members of the Clan. Writing,

     

    As everyone knows, due to COVID-19 school hasn’t been the same. But my English teacher has put so much effort to make this year for his students the best and memorable.

    Aleigha Sharpe

    Unsure if she would get a reply, Sharpe was shocked to receive a personalized message from Method Man himself, shouting out the Depew Middle School and Joe Cena. The Ticallian Stallion even bestowed Cena with his own personalized Wu nickname, labeling him, “Excessive Gallant,” as he congratulated the teacher for his continued efforts towards educating the children. 

    I want to shout out Depew-Tang Clan… and also especially Joe Cena. AKA Excessive Gallant. I love what you are doing over there. You’re keeping learning fun and you’re including Wu – Tang. Salute to you, brother. Hats off!

    Method Man

    Cena’s students presented him with the Method Man response video and the English teacher was visibly touched from the gesture. Holding back a smile and plenty of emotions, Cena was in disbelief to hear Method Man say his name. 

  • GZA brings back the years at Blue Note Jazz Club

    It was a calm, quiet Wednesday night in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. With the streets hardly packed, some headed home to end their evenings early, others made their way to the Subway for their night shifts, while scattered groups searched for a potential brouhaha to jumpstart their night. New York City has a suis generis aura because not only is it one of the world’s marquee Metropolitis, but it is also the cultural hub of the world. And on any given night something amazing could be happening around the corner. 

    Such was the atmosphere inside the intimate setting of Blue Note Jazz Club. Founded in 1981, Blue Note’s motto is centered around preserving the history of jazz, according to their website. “The club is a place where progression and innovation – the foundations of jazz – are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis…while regularly showcasing up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists” and has seen the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Liza Minelli, and Quincy Jones grace their stage. 

    But on this night, Blue Note did not play host to any developing talent, but rather two established hip hop legends. For two consecutive nights on August 24 & 25, GZA of the Wu Tang Clan headlined the culturally historic club accompanied by Talib Kweli and of course live music as the Phunky Nomads shared the stage with the two hip hop greats. 

    Thus, on a cozy summer night the two Brooklynite’s performed a medley of records that reminded those in attendance of a simpler time in the world. Fans lightly serenaded the club, singing along to some of GZA and Wu Tang Clan’s more recognizable records and even some album cuts. 

    GZA is a master of his craft, so it came as no surprise that he had memorized not only his rhymes, but those of his groupmates as well, performing several verses from the deceased Ol’ Dirty Bastard and other Clan members. In one sequence in particular, the Liquid Swords emcee began performing the Clan’s hit record, “Triumph.” You know, the one where Inspectah Deck “lyrically performs armed robbery” before transitioning into “Shame on a N***a” and performing ODB’s verse.  

    The live music only added to the atmosphere as the Phunky Nomads took command of each record, seamlessly sequencing between jazz, classical, funk, hip hop and rock instrumentation. They made each record their own, evident when GZA began performing “C.R.E.A.M.” backed with classical sounding music (They even did a rendition of The O’Jays’ “For The Love of Money”). Their choice of musical direction often kept the audience on edge, wondering what new possible twist they would put to classic Clan records.  

    At 55 years old, GZA continues to tour with 34 scheduled dates upcoming. For information on when and where to see the Genius live, click here.

    Information on the Blue Note Jazz Club’s weekly performances, can be found here.

  • Disgraced Hedge Fund Manager Martin Shkreli Forced to Sell Exclusive Wu Tang Clan Album

    Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, the one-of-a-kind 7th studio album from the Wu Tang Clan, is in the hands of a new owner. Martin Shkreli, the previous proprietor of the covert album, had the project seized in 2018 and recently sold by the U.S. government as a part of a $7.4 million forfeiture judgement. 

    Shkreli purchased the 31-track album in 2015 for a reported $2 million and subsequently began a public feud with Wu Tang’s Ghostface Killah, threatening to erase his contributions to Once Upon a Time. 

    Martin Shkreli

    The dishonored pharmaceutical executive known as “Pharma Bro” first came under public scrutiny for raising the price of the drug Daraphin — used to treat aids and cancer patients — from $13.50 to $750. He was later convicted of securities fraud and sentenced to seven years in prison, in a matter unrelated to his skyrocketing of drug prices. In essence, his prison sentence is a result of being “accused of repeatedly losing money for investors and lying to them about it, illegally taking assets from one of his companies to pay off debtors in another.”

    Martin Shkreli

    Shkreli’s possession of a suis generis Wu Tang Clan album did not come without its own controversy. Initially intended as a one-off sale with the group wanting to bar public consumption of the album for 88 years. After it was announced that Shkreli who purchased the album, the group changed its tune and began vouching for the project to be heard by the masses. When Martin Shkreli was announced as the album’s buyer, RZA announced most of the proceeds were donated to charity. 

    The announcement was made by Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, the Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

    Shkreli has been held accountable and paid the price for lying and stealing from investors to enrich himself. With today’s sale of this one-of-a-kind album, his payment of the forfeiture is now complete.

    While the buyer’s identity has yet to be revealed, they are represented by NYC based lawyer, Peter Coolidge, who confirmed that he has indeed listened to the project.

    It didn’t disappoint at all. It was pretty reminiscent of the ‘90s stuff. The first album was really good. All the first solo albums were good, like, Return to the 36 Chambers, Liquid Swords, Ironman, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, whatever,” he said. “And then they did some albums after that, that were perhaps not their best work. But this is like, up there with the best stuff.

    He later confirmed that the buyer was an entity and not an individual, and that they planned to reveal themselves and do a round of press in the next 30 to 60 days.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbY74KvIYEw

  • Wu-Tang members, Ashanti and Ja Rule play first ever Peace and Unity Festival in Staten Island

    Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna, as well as Redman, Ashanti and Ja Rule played the first ever Peace and Unity Festival. The event took place at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Saturday July 10th. Dj performances included Funkmaster Flex, Dj Smoove and Dj Outkast.

    Peace and Unity Festival

    The purpose of the Peace and Unity Festival was to bring people from all over the city together after the year and a half long pandemic. Community organizers The Waterteam, Uncle Chase Entertainment, Wakeem Entertainment, and 3J’s Creation Entertainment sponsored the event. It was originally scheduled to be a two-day event, but the organizers decided to cancel Sunday’s show.

    Peace and Unity Festival

  • Wu Tang Clan To Issue Extremely Limited Photobook

    The lives and times of the Wu Tang Clan has been chronicled heavily (deservedly so) throughout their existence. Beginning with their own personal accounts in their music, to feature interviews, documentaries, tv series and now, an exclusive Wu Tang Clan photobook will share rare and never seen before images of the rap phenoms. With photography from the likes of; Danny Hastings, PROTIM PHOTO, Kyle Christie and Andy Cantillon, as well as friends and family of the Clan.

    Titled Wu Tang Clan: LEGACY, this large format photography book features more than 300 pages of images and comes encased in a 400-pound sculpted chamber.

    “From conception to the present day, this is the story of the undisputed greatest hip-hop group of all time being unveiled through rare and never before seen photos,” said John “Mook” Gibbons, CEO of Wu-Tang Clan Management, in an official statement. 

    According to the book’s official website, only 36 editions will be made available for purchase, and each comes signed, dated and numbered and with a certificate of authenticity. 

    Each book will be printed and bound in Italian leather and will come encased in a bronze-encrusted black steel chamber individually designed by sculptor Gethin Jones. The design was inspired by the bronze ritual bowls from the Zhou Dynasty, an ancient period considered the pinnacle of Chinese bronzeware crafting, and its first ruler was King Wu-Wang. This comes as no surprise as the Clan’s music — specifically RZA’s production – was heavily influenced by Asian martial arts, beliefs and overall culture. Even the 36 copies being produced serves as an ode to their first album tittle (36 Chambers) and the numerological significance of there being 36 chambers in a Shaolin Temple.

    For more information on how to purchase and own what is sure to be a rare collector’s item, click here. 

    Wu Tang Clan photobook