Photo by Mitch Manzella
On Monday, it was reported that Wu-Tang Clan's one-of-a-kind album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin comes with a stipulation for whoever purchases it: they can't release the album for 88 years. When XXL asked Method Man about the album's nearly nine-decade hiatus from getting a potential public release, he replied, "That shit is fuckin' stupid."
Update: Read RZA's response below.
Actually, he initially revealed that he hadn't heard the news, so his reaction came in real time:
“Fuck that album. I’m tired of this shit and I know everybody else is tired of it, too. Fuck that album, if that’s what they are doing. I haven’t heard anything like that, but if they’re doing crap like that, fuck that album. Straight up. I’m just keeping it 100. When music can’t be music and y’all turning it into something else, fuck that. Give it to the people, if they want to hear the shit, let them have it. Give it away free. I don’t give a fuck; that ain’t making nobody rich or poor. Give the fucking music out. Stop playing with the public, man.”
He clarified that he was always on board with the idea of creating an album with a sole copy, but is not OK with the 88-year rule. "88 years? Really? If that shit is true, that shit is stupid," he said. "You have to wait 88 years to hear some shit? By that time, it’s going to be fuckin’ played out."
RZA tweeted a response to Method Man and XXL:
@xxl @methodman let us clarify for you. A 88 year "non commercialization"clause. Means corporations can't buy it & mass produce it for sell
— RZA! (@RZA) March 5, 2015 (It's worth pointing out that RZA's previous tweet was to wish Meth a happy birthday.)
Watch their "Better Tomorrow" video and dream of a better tomorrow 88 years from now:
