The mystery buyer of Wu-Tang's latest album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, of which there is only one known copy, is none other than Martin Shkreli, the controversial pharmaceutical executive who raised the price of a key drug 5,000%.
Shkreli, who became public enemy number one last fall when it was revealed he had jacked the price of an antiparasitic drug from $13.50 to $750, was revealed as the buyer of the super-rare LP by Bloomberg Businessweek on Wednesday.
He seemed to confirm the report on Twitter.
If there is a curious gap in your favorite artist's discography, well, now you know why.— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) December 9, 2015
Wu-Tang announced the double album -- which features the group's original members, Cher and is encased in a box made of silver and nickel -- to much fanfare last March. RZA, the group's leader, called it a "piece of art like nobody else has done in the history of [modern] music."
"We’re making a single-sale collector’s item," the rapper said. "This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king."
While the filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, or the venture capitalist-cum-hip hop fan Ben Horowitz, were once floated as likely buyers, ultimately it was the one-time "most hated man on the internet" who bought the album.
The magazine reported that he paid $2 million -- and that he hasn't even listened to it yet.
In a statement, RZA told Bloomberg Wu-Tang would donate some of the money made in the sale of the album to charity.
"The sale of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was agreed upon in May, well before Martin Shkreli's business practices came to light," said RZA. "We decided to give a significant portion of the proceeds to charity."
Fans on Twitter called on RZA to release the album.
Yo @RZA hit us with that mediafire link already— Wildlife! (@itswildlife) December 9, 2015
Others asked how he could sell it to someone who so callously profits off of the sick.
@RZA Why would you allow the record to sell to such an awful human being? Only thing I want to know.— Shane Simon (@Shane_Simon) December 9, 2015
Shkreli, for his part, told a live YouTube audience on Wednesday that they would never get the chance to own the music themselves.
"Naw, I'm not going to release the album," he scoffed when asked. "Why would I pay millions of dollars just to let everyone listen to it for free?"
He also indicated that his purchase of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin may represent a new business strategy, and asked viewers to help him come up with a list of artists who he should pay to create one-of-a-kind albums, just for him.
Poll suggestions: which artist should I now approach to buy my next private album from?— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) December 9, 2015
"That one band that won't get back together. That reclusive artist that no one's heard in a long time," he said, identifying his ideal targets.
.@MartinShkreli asking YouTubers which artists he should pay to create one-of-a-kind albums just for him. pic.twitter.com/6eqazy5tYU— Brian Ries (@moneyries) December 9, 2015
Those listed: Rage Against The Machine, Oasis and Pavement, among many others. One user suggested Sublime. "Sublime? The dude's dead!" Shkreli exclaimed. "Right?"
Another suggested Outkast. Shkreli smirked. "Now that's a great idea," he said.