Method Man hears Wu-Tang Clan's one-copy Shaolin album for the first time
Method Man has finally heard the Wu-Tang Clan album he appears on but had never heard.
The rapper listened to Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for the first time during a Brooklyn session recorded for Pablo Torre Finds Out, in an episode titled "Unboxing Wu-Tang Clan's Secret Album" published on October 16, 2026, according to The New York Times.
The show has posted the full episode on its official page and shared a video version titled "Playing Wu-Tang's 'Once Upon a Time in Shaolin' for Method Man — and You | PTFO" on the Pablo Torre Finds Out YouTube channel. Its official X account announced: "We found Wu-Tang's infamous 1-of-1 album, 'Once Upon A Time in Shaolin'".
Once Upon a Time in Shaolin exists as a one-copy-only album, meaning just one physical copy was made. It was created by RZA and Cilvaringz, with Cilvaringz handling most of the production, according to Rolling Stone.
That single copy was originally auctioned for 2 million US dollars to Martin Shkreli. The US government later seized it among Shkreli's assets in a securities fraud case, a type of financial crime involving misleading investors. The government then sold it at auction for 4 million US dollars to PleasrDAO, a digital art organisation, in 2021.
The project was first envisioned with an 88-year wait before the wider public was supposed to hear it. That long restriction helps explain how a group member could go years without hearing the finished record.
Method Man told the programme he had never heard the album before this session, which was arranged through a PleasrDAO connection. He listened in Brooklyn with Torre present.
His first response was plain. He said he could see why people will like and love the album, adding, "I don't hate it."
He also praised Cilvaringz, saying the production sits on par with RZA's earlier work. He called the album a valid piece of art.
For listeners, the programme has shared two Method Man-centred clips from the album alongside the full episode. The clips focus on his vocal appearances, giving the public a brief chance to hear parts of a record that was designed to stay unheard.
What makes this stand out is the reversal. A record built around scarcity, private ownership and delayed release was played back to one of its own vocalists, on tape, for an audience to follow along.
