Three years ago, cryptocurrency collective PleasrDAO said it would make Wu-Tang Clan’s one-of-a-kind album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin more widely available after purchasing it from the US government. Now, the group’s seventh studio album will be a centerpiece of an exhibit at Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), where select visitors will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear it in person.
From June 15th through 24th, the museum’s Frying Pan Studios will play selections from Once Upon a Time in Shaolin during free, 30-minute listening sessions. They will be offered twice per day as part of the week-long Namedropping exhibition. Try your luck for tickets beginning Thursday, May 30th at 10:00 a.m. local time.
“Final thing on the Wu-Tang bucket list, and probably the only chance you’ll ever get to hear it,” Mona shared on Instagram. “Run don’t walk, bring da ruckus, etc.”
In an interview with BBC, Mona Director of Curatorial Affairs Jarrod Rawlins added, “Every once in a while, an object on this planet possesses mystical properties that transcend its material circumstances. Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is more than just an album, so… I knew I had to get it into this exhibition.”
Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was seized by the federal government from pharmadouche Martin Shkreli after his seven-year prison sentence. In October 2021, PleasrDAO acquired the album for the crypto equivalent of $4 million.
Released in 2015, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was created as a reaction to music not receiving “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,” said Wu-Tang mastermind RZA at the time.
Wu-Tang Clan haven’t released a widely available album since 2014’s A Better Tomorrow. However, you can catch them on a few dates during their Las Vegas residency in September. Get tickets here.
Editor’s Note: If you’re planning a trip to check out Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, you can save 15% off travel and accommodations through Booking.com.