Leighton Cusack & Matt Metkov from PleasrDAO discuss acquiring the Wu-Tang Clan album to restore its value in the digital age. They explore music ownership, NFTs, and fair distribution in the Web3 era, highlighting the impact of crypto on digital ownership.
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Quick takeaways
Unique album highlights struggle for music ownership and value.
Transition from exclusive to community ownership promotes digital art appreciation.
Deep dives
Background of Wu-Tang Clan and Music Industry Digitization
The Wu-Tang Clan, a renowned rap group, protested the devaluation of music due to digitization by creating a one-of-one album in 2014. Music suffered as digital copies were easily replicable and undervalued, unlike physical art with scarcity. This led to an auction of the unique album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, to Martin Shkreli, known for controversies and price hikes, highlighting the struggle for music ownership and value.
Transition of Album Ownership to PleaserDAO
Eventually, due to Martin Shkreli's actions and legal consequences, the Wu-Tang Clan's album was forfeited and sold to an anonymous buyer to satisfy judgments. It was later acquired by PleaserDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization focused on high-value digital and physical art pieces. This shift marked a transition from exclusive ownership to community possession and appreciation.
Tokenization of Album and Ownership Opportunities
PleaserDAO initiated the tokenization of the Wu-Tang Clan album to allow broader ownership and involvement. By purchasing a token for $1, holders gain encrypted access to the album, original artwork, and a sampler. Each token purchase decreases the release restriction time set until 2103 by 88 seconds, raising the opportunity for earlier public access.
Impact on Music Ownership and Future Industry Trends
The venture highlights the significance of digital ownership and value attribution in the music industry. It questions societal attitudes towards music ownership, inviting the audience to reconsider the importance of supporting artists and recognizing music as a valuable form of art. By engaging in the ownership process, individuals can influence the future landscape of music distribution and artist compensation.
David is joined by Leighton Cusack and Matt Metkov, two members of PleasrDAO, the organization that owns and is releasing the Wu-Tang Album.
The Wu-Tang Clan created a unique album, “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” to combat music’s devaluation in the digital age. It was bought by Martin Shkreli in 2015, who later lost it due to a fraud conviction. In 2021, PleasrDAO, a crypto collective, purchased the album to restore its value and make it accessible to the public, promoting fairer digital ownership in the Web3 era.
Hear how you can own the most exclusive music album and help support the movement.
0:00 Intro 9:09 What’s Special About This Album? 11:13 One-Off Event Or New Path For Artists? 14:24 Music Scenario: 2014 vs. Now? 17:41 Music Renting VS Collecting/Ownership 22:25 How To Own The Album? 26:47 Rights & Collaboration 28:07 Rethinking Music Distribution 31:02 Magnitude Of Album Release 32:47 Why Crypto People Should Care? 34:56 David On The Album Songs 38:05 Where To Own The Album? 40:16 Sales & Record-Breaking Week 43:48 Closing & Disclosures