Entertainment · Music · 6 hrs ago
Method Man hears Wu-Tang Clan’s exclusive album for the first time
Method Man heard Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for the first time at a private listening party in Brooklyn.
The podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out recorded his reaction and shared two short snippets of the album.
The album is a one-of-a-kind project, produced by Cilvaringz with verses from Wu-Tang members who did not know how the project would come together.
Martin Shkreli bought the sole copy in 2015, but the US government later seized and sold it to the digital arts collective PleasrDAO in 2021.
The album cannot be commercially released until 2103, though PleasrDAO has allowed it to be played at special exhibitions.
After listening, Method Man said he did not hate it, praised the production and his bandmates, and said Cilvaringz did an excellent job.
Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man heard the group’s exclusive album Once Upon A Time in Shaolin for the first time at a private listening party.
He said he did not hate the album, while noting that parts were nostalgic and some production sounded like an imitation of RZA.
The listening party was organised by journalist Pablo Torre and digital arts collective PleasrDAO and documented on Torre’s podcast.
Martin Shkreli bought the album in 2015, and the US government sold it to PleasrDAO in 2021 after seizing it from him.
The album cannot be commercially released until 2103.
- Who
- Method Man, a member of Wu-Tang Clan, heard the album. Journalist Pablo Torre and PleasrDAO organised the listening party.
- What
- Method Man listened to Once Upon A Time in Shaolin for the first time and gave his reaction.
- When
- The podcast episode was published on October 16, 2026. The listening party’s date is not stated.
- Where
- A private listening party in Brooklyn.
- Why
- Torre had vowed to find a way for Method Man to hear the album after an earlier podcast episode. Digital creator Emily Yang connected Torre with PleasrDAO.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Martin Shkreli bought the only copy of the album at auction.
The US government sold the album to PleasrDAO after seizing it from Shkreli.
PleasrDAO made the album available as an NFT after offering the public a chance to hear it at a museum exhibition in Tasmania.
Pablo Torre Finds Out published an episode documenting Method Man’s first listen and reaction.
- Album
- Once Upon A Time in Shaolin
- Buyer in 2015
- Martin Shkreli
- Buyer in 2021
- PleasrDAO
- Purchase price
- $4 million
- Commercial release
- Not permitted until 2103
- Listening party location
- Brooklyn
2 sources
What people are saying
All in all, I do not hate this album.
I can see why some people will love it.
Cilvaringz did an excellent job.
I do not hate this album.