- Album is so rare only one copy exists and has only been heard by a few people
- Recorded by iconic US rap group
- Part of exhibition being held at museum in Tasmania
Music fans in Australia will have a chance to hear excepts from an album that is so rare only a few people have heard it before next month.
The album in question is Once Upon a Time in Shaolin recorded by the Wu-Tang Clan in secret over six years. It is so rare that only one copy exists.
The album, which is kept safe in a decorated silver box, is currently on loan from its owner to The Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Tasmania, Australia.
Listening parties
Over 10 days next month, small listening parties will be held for members of the public at Mona, where they will be able to hear a 30-minute sample of the album.
The album, which was designed to be a piece of fine art, is the most expensive music album ever sold. It is forming part of Mona’s Namedropping exhibition.
Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was recorded in New York and produced in Marrakesh in Morocco by the nine surviving members of the pioneering hip-hop group and includes guest stars such as Cher and Carice Van Houten – who is probably best known for appearing in Game of Thrones. Work began on it in 2006 and it was completed in 2013.
One-off work
The idea behind producing a one-off work like this – which has 31 tracks on it – was that the group felt that music had been devalued by online streaming and piracy and wanted to take the approach of artists centuries ago who were commissioned to make one-off works.
As well as the CD in the box, there is a leather-bound manuscript of the lyrics contained on the album – as well as a legal stipulation that the owner cannot release any of the tracks on it for 88 years.
The Wu-Tang Clan album is just one of many pieces on display in the Namedropping exhibition, which starts on June 15 and runs until April 21, 2025.
