Mystery Buyers of Wu-Tang Album Revealed

Wu-Tang may be forever, but the hip-hop collective's presumably mortal fans are still clinging on to hope that they won't have to wait that long to hear "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin."

The 31-track double album famously bought by the now-infamous “Pharma Bro” — hedge fund manager and pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli —for $2 million in 2015 at auction, has a new owner.

The New York TImes reports crypto collective PleasrDAO took ownership of "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" in early September in a "complex" $4 million deal involving the creation of an NFT through which the groups 74 members share ownership of the deed to the album. 

“This beautiful piece of art, this ultimate protest against middlemen and rent-seekers of musicians and artists, went south by going into the hands of Martin Shkreli, the ultimate internet villain,” Jamis Johnson, PleasrDAO’s 34-year-old Chief Pleasing Officer told Rolling Stone, "We want this to be us bringing this back to the people. We want fans to participate in this album at some level.”

This has been a crazy journey to get here and we can't wait to share more with you all

We are honored to own this piece of history ✨ https://t.co/ukgd03Gcwt

— ✨ PleasrCLAN (@PleasrDAO) October 20, 2021

Whether or not that participation includes listening to the album remains to be seen, but that may have a better chance of happening with PleasrDAO than with the album's previous two owners.

After Shkreli was convicted on two counts of security fraud and one count of securities fraud conspiracy in August 2017 and sentenced to seven years in prison, the United States Government, which had seized it, sold the album to satisfy the remaining balance ($2.4 million) of the $7.4 million forfeiture order owed by 38-year-old Shkreli.

At the time acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Jacquelyn M. Kasulis, stated the sale of the one-of-a-kind album was at least enough to pay out what was owed, but no figures were released

“Through the diligent and persistent efforts of this office and its law enforcement partners, Shkreli has been held accountable and paid the price for lying and stealing from investors to enrich himself. With today’s sale of this one-of-a-kind album, his payment of the forfeiture is now complete,” Kasulis said.

In 2015 "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" was marketed as “both a work of art and an audio artifact and that it includes a hand-carved nickel-silver box as well as a leather-bound manuscript containing lyrics and a certificate of authenticity. It also noted that “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" is subject to various restrictions, including those relating to the duplication of its sound recordings.

https://t.co/mYCMSOZysb pic.twitter.com/q6UBVHxek3

— ✨ PleasrCLAN (@PleasrDAO) October 20, 2021

Kanye West Legally Changes Name to Ye

Photo Credit: Instagram

Ye debuted a new haircut on Monday.

Kanye West is dead. Long live Ye! 

The mercurial producer, rapper, fashion designer, shoe mogul, one-time presidential candidate and soon-to-be ex-husband to Kim Kardashian, is officially just Ye today after years of using the monicker on his socials after dropping a now-eponymous album in 2018.

Born Kanye Omari West, Ye — no middle or last name — filed a petition for the name change Aug. 24, and Deadline reported it was granted Monday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams.

Ye cited personal reasons for the name change, but those looking for clues as to why he made the change need look no further than his 2019 interview with Big Boy for BigBoyTV.

I believe “ye” is the most commonly used word in the Bible, and in the Bible it means “you”... So I’m you, I’m us, it’s us," Ye said when asked about where he came up for the name for his eighth studio album. "It went from Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye—just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused, everything. The album is more of a reflection of who we are.

Colin Powell, Trailblazing Black Statesman and Soldier Dies of Covid-19 Complications

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks by video
feed during the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Colin Powell, a son of Jamaican immigrants and Vietnam war veteran who rose through the ranks of the US military to become a four-star general, the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later served as the first Black Secretary of State — has died of complications caused by Covid-19.

Powell, whose family announced his passing on his official Facebook page Morning, was 84.

"General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," read the statement from the family, which also noted that he was fully vaccinated. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American."

Former President George W. Bush appointed Powell to serve as his first secretary of State in 2000 issued a statement following the news saying that he and his wife Laura are" deeply saddened" by the death.

"Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of Colin Powell. He was a great public servant, starting with his time as a soldier during Vietnam." - President George W. Bush

Read the full statement: https://t.co/kSlMbGelOm

— George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) October 18, 2021

A New York native, Powell was born in Harlem and grew up in the South Bronx before attending the metropolis' City College where he joined the Army through ROTC. He left the school with a bachelor's degree in geology and a commission as a second lieutenant in the recently desegregated Army.

During his 35-year military career, Powell served two combat tours in Vietnam — earning military honors for both — was national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan helping negotiate an end to the Cold War and encourage cooperation between the Soviet Union and the United States. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he was thrust into public view when he spearheaded the invasion of Panama. But it was his steady hand and resolute demeanor that made him a national hero following his handling of the 1991 war in the Persian Gulf.

Powell's popularity peaked in the mid-90s with the publication of his memoir “My American Journey,” in 1995. The best-seller was a phenomenon, dragging the General to new heights of popularity and many pundits began to call for a presidential run for the Republican.
Eventually, Powell who wrote of his political leanings in the book, "Some people have rushed to hang a Republican label around my neck. I am not, however, knee-jerk anti-government. I was born a New Deal, Depression-era kid. Franklin Roosevelt was a hero in my boyhood home,″ announced he would not run but hoped to help broaden the appeal of the party of which he counted himself a member.

Following a short stint in retirement, it was Powell's 2001 return to public life as secretary of state for President George W. Bush, that eventually put some tarnish in the eyes of some on what had been a sterling legacy as a soldier and statesman.

His now-infamous February 2003 speech to the United Nations Security Council about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was the rallying point for the nation to go to war. The evidence was later proved to be false and the conflicts that resulted from the actions taken then still afflict the world today.

In 2005 Powell told ABC News’ Barbara Walters that his speech to the United Nations was “painful” for him personally and would forever be a “blot” on his record. “I am the one who presented it to the world on behalf of the United States,” said Mr. Powell, acknowledging that his presentation “will always remain a part of my record."

In later years Powell moved away from the Republican party. He endorsed then-Senator Barack Obama during his 2008 run for president. He also said he would vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in leaked emails that were confirmed to be authentic when the former businessman was preparing to enter the race.

“Trump is a national disgrace and an international pariah,” wrote Powell, who abhorred Trump's constant implications that President Obama was not a United States citizen. Another email summed up his thoughts on the matter entirely, “Yup, the whole birther movement was racist,” he said.

Powell is survived by his wife Alma, and children Linda, Annemarie and Michael.