On June 30th, both Nike and the iconic rap group shared a captivating image on their official Instagram pages: a swarm of bees surrounding a high-top shoe. Despite the insects partially covering the Nike logo, Wu-Tang’s distinctive black and yellow colors are unmistakably present.
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Originally limited to just 100 pairs, the collaboration has achieved legendary status, with fans even mythologizing that only 36 “Wu-Tang” Nike High Dunks were ever produced, a nod to the group’s classic debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Known as the “world’s rarest album,” this unique release was created in 2015, with its digital masters intentionally destroyed to underscore issues of streaming and piracy in today’s music landscape. After a high-profile auction, Martin Shkreli famously purchased it for $2 million, only for the federal court to seize it and PleasrDAO to acquire it in 2021 for $4 million.
In an effort to share this cultural artifact with the world, PleasrDAO has loaned the album to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, Tasmania. As part of an exhibition titled Namedropping, visitors can experience a curated edit of the album, featuring every surviving member of Wu-Tang Clan and even Cher, from June 15th to 24th. This unique listening opportunity will take place using a custom-made Playstation inside the Frying Pan recording studio.
Jarrod Rawlins, MONA’s director of curatorial affairs, expressed the significance of featuring Once Upon a Time in Shaolin in the exhibition: “Every now and then, an object possesses mystical qualities that transcend its physical form. Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is more than an album; it’s a cultural phenomenon deserving of its place in this exhibition.”
