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Method Man doesn’t have nice things to say about Wu-Tang’s secret album

Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan performs during the Quebec Festival D'ete in Canada in 2013.
(Scott Legato / Getty Images)
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Not every member of Wu-Tang Clan is excited about the group’s secret album that’s up for private sale.

For nearly a year, Wu-Tang’s “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” has intrigued fans and music writers. The album was recorded in secret over six years and the group initially said it would be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

The album is now up for private sale through online auctioneer Paddle8 -- with a major stipulation: Whoever purchases it can’t release it commercially for 88 years.

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WuTang’s extensive contractual restriction voids previously reported plans for the album, which would have allowed the highest bidder to do whatever he or she wanted with the album.

And that doesn’t sit well with Clan member Method Man -- at all.

In an interview with hip-hop mag XXL, the rapper didn’t have kind words for the nearly-century-long agreement.

“I’m tired of this … and I know everybody else is tired of it too,” he said in an interview Wednesday, more profanely of course. “Straight up. I’m just keeping it 100.”

“Give it to the people, if they want ... let them have it. Give it away free,” he said. “Give the … music out. Stop playing with the public, man.”

Considering the work -- a 31-track double-album housed inside an engraved silver-and-nickel box -- is sold without a copyright, broadcast rights, performers’ consents or other reproduction rights, one workaround for any buyer could be to release the project to the public for free.

Paddle8 has confirmed it has received a number of serious offers for “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.” Still, Method Man seems pretty over the whole thing.

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“I dug the whole idea in the beginning. I’m like, ‘Wow, this has never been done before,’” he said. “But now, this is ridiculous. Eighty-eight years? Really?”

For more music news, follow me on Twitter @gerrickkennedy.

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