Last week, Wu-Tang Clan announced the existence of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, a double album recorded in secret over the last several years. The announcement came with a twist: Only one physical copy will be produced, and it won't be made commercially available. Instead, the plan is to tour the 31 song album through galleries, museums, and other listening spaces, where audiences will pay a fee to listen to it in one go. After that tour is over, the album will be made available for purchase for a price "in the millions."

It might not be wishful thinking. In an interview with Billboard, RZA claims that the group has already received an offer of $5 million for the album. "I've been getting a lot of emails: some from people I know, some from people I don't know, and they're also emailing other members of my organization," he said. "So far, $5 million is the biggest number."

He continued: "I don't know how to measure it, but it gives us an idea that what we're doing is being understood by some. And there are some good peers of mine also, who are very high-ranking in the film business and the music business, sending me a lot of good will. It's been real positive.

"The main theme is music being accepted and respected as art and being treated as such. If something is rare, it's rare. You cannot get another."

You can read more of the mindset behind the album's production at its website. It mentions that players from the soccer team FC Barcelona will make an appearance, which I can't even imagine. 

Wu-Tang are releasing a commercially available album, A Better Tomorrow, in July. They've already released the first single, "Keep Watch".

Watch a Pitchfork.tv interview with RZA: