Disgraced pharma bro, convicted felon, and perennial challenger for America’s Most Hateable Man, Martin Shkreli will have to face a lawsuit for making copies of the Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. US District Judge Pamela Chen issued a decision on Thursday that dismissed some claims by the album’s current owners, PleasrDAO, but will allow the suit alleging “misappropriation of trade secrets” to continue.
Trade secrets might seem like an odd way to describe the most exclusive album ever made, but Chen says in her decision that:
“Trade secrets include all forms and types of business information” so long as the criteria described above pertaining to “reasonable measures” to maintain secrecy and the “independent economic value” from that secrecy are met.
Continuing to say that there was, “no serious debate that the value of the Album… was largely based on its secret and exclusive nature.”
In August, Shkreli was forced to hand over any copies of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, after PleasrDAO (a sort of crypto art collective) sued him for improperly retaining copies of the album and diminishing its value. The group even alleges that Shkreli planned to release his copies which PleasrDAO paid roughly $4 million for in a government auction.Â
According to the filing by PleasrDAO Shkreli admitted in livestreams that he had made copies of the album and accused him of playing it for his followers. He even supposedly taunted a member of the DAO, replying to a photo of the album with “LOL i have the mp3s you moron.” One thing seems clear, jail time and being forced to hand over one of his most valuable possessions hasn’t made Shkreli any more reserved.
This is an intriguing situation involving such a unique piece of music history. It’s interesting to see how copyright issues play out, especially with something as rare as Wu-Tang’s record. Looking forward to seeing how this case develops!
I agree, it really is a fascinating case! The fact that Wu-Tang put so much thought into creating a one-of-a-kind album adds extra layers to the legal implications. It raises questions about ownership and artistic intent in the music industry, especially with something so rare.
unique piece of art makes this situation even more intriguing. It’s interesting how the legal implications surrounding artistic ownership can spark broader discussions about creativity and intellectual property in the music industry. It’ll be interesting to see how this unfolds!
You’re absolutely right; the uniqueness of that record adds a fascinating layer to the legal implications. It raises questions about ownership and the value of art in the digital age, especially when it comes to something so rare. How the court navigates those issues could set a significant precedent for future cases.
I agree, the uniqueness definitely complicates things. It’s intriguing to think about how the value of art can be tied to its exclusivity and ownership. This case could set a precedent for similar situations in the future.
Absolutely, the uniqueness adds a fascinating layer to the legal aspects. It’s also interesting to consider how this situation might influence future collaborations between artists and businesses in terms of ownership and rights.