“My goal is to be one with the music. I just dedicate my whole life to this art.” – Jimi Hendrix
Ah yes… music as art… that is goal of every musician, right?
The likes of Beethoven and Vivaldi were not simply famous composers, but also revered artists.
The Beatles and Led Zeppelin didn’t just play Rock’N'Roll, they pushed the social boundaries. Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury are pop legends, but also just plain legendary.
Now a new kind of musical art is set to make history.
This value of this music art will not be judged on the number of Grammys it earns, its ranking on the iTunes music chart, or how many albums/singles have been sold.
It will be valued by its rarity. The rap group Wu Tang Clan announced that they will be selling a one of a kind double album. Literally.
There will be only one, single, solo, physical, individual version of the album available to be purchased.
The group has been recording the album (entitled “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin”) in secret over the past several years . The album will NOT be sold immediately, but instead toured through different galleries and museums where listeners can pay a fee to hear the masterpiece before it is sold to one lucky collector.
RZA of the Wu Tang Clan estimates it will sell for millions and he is already correct with someone already offering five million USD for the item.
This musical art movement has become something of a trend as of recent. In late 2013, unsigned rapper Nipsey Hussle sold 1,000 copies of his mixtape Crenshaw for $100 each in less than 24 hours!He did reward those who purchased through his Proud2Pay program with special memorabilia, but most importantly made a statement about the industry through his actions.
Even if you haven’t heard about Nipsey Hussle you’re sure to have heard about Kanye West and his Yeezus tour, where every concert was not only a performance, but also a platform where West could address his fans with whatever topic he chose to discuss.
So here’s the real question: Is music art or entertainment?
Is it meant to test our limits and make us think or simply provide us with background noise for a college party or suburban barbecue?
Either way we can all agree that the Wu Tang Clan will be getting some C.R.E.A.M.
