(AllHipHop News) Many Hip Hop fans were fascinated with the idea of Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon A Time In Shaolin album, but some Wu followers were equally frustrated that only one copy of the project would be sold to the highest bidder.
[ALSO READ: RZA Says Wu-Tang Clan Offered $5 Million For One Copy Of New Album]
It turns out the highly secretive LP could be made available for the general public – in about 88 years. According to Forbes, producer Cilvaringz revealed it would be at least that long before the eventual owner of Once Upon A Time can release the album commercially.
“After 88 years the copyright, which includes public and commercial rights, automatically transfers to the owner of the work,” Cilvaringz told the publication. “However, it will still be his or her choice at that [point] to release it or not release it.”
Wu general RZA has explained he intends for the album to be viewed as a piece of rare art. The producer/rapper compared Once Upon A Time to the work of great visual artisans.
“Owning a Picasso doesn’t mean you can sell prints or reproductions, but that you’re the sole owner of a unique original,” said RZA. “And that’s what Once Upon A Time In Shaolin is. It’s a unique original rather than a master copy of an album.”
The number 88 was chosen because of the Wu-Tang Clan’s connection to numerology. There were 8 original members of the Wu, 8 is the sum of the digits in the year 2015, and 8 turned on its side represents the infinity symbol.
[ALSO READ: Wu-Tang Clan’s Secret Album Revealed In Mini-Doc (VIDEO)]