Martin Shkreli Claims He Bought Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter V'
With a looming $51 million legal battle, the unreleased Carter V has driven a major wedge between Lil Wayne and Birdman. Now, controversial entrepreneur Martin Shkreli claims he owns it.
The pharmaceutical mogul, who was heavily criticized for raising the price of a drug used by AIDS patients called Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill, gloated about his new purchase on Periscope Friday (Dec. 23).
“I have acquired, I would say, hip-hop’s most-sought-after album,” he revealed. “I’ve acquired hip-hop’s most exclusive [LP].”
While unconfirmed, this isn’t too far-fetched a move. Shkreli famously purchased Wu-Tang Clan’s one-of-one album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for a reported $2 million. Of Tha Carter V, he says, “It’s going to make Wu-Tang look irrelevant.”
Doing the Birdman hand rub, Shkreli claimed he didn’t go looking for the project—it came to him. “Let’s just say this thing fell into my lap,” he said. “But when you’re as handsome, good looking, smart, and wealthy as me, things just fall into your lap.”
According to Shkreli, it is “a two-CD tape.” “Two CDs,” he added for emphasis. “Weezy. Carter V. Your boy’s got it. You don’t.”
As a proof of purchase, Shkreli shared an unreleased snippet from the album. “So much shit on my mind, I just hope I don’t smell like it,” raps Tunechi on the track. “The motherfu**ers pointing fingers, be the same ones I have nail biting / Real ni**as still real ni**as, you new ni**as just lil’ ni**as / When shit falls, don’t be surprised.”
It’s unclear who Shkreli purchased the project from, but he mentioned that Baby would take issue with its release. “Should I release it to the public?” he asked. “Birdman might kill me.”
In September, the Cash Money CEO complained that Wayne was holding TCV hostage. Weezy, who’s suing the label for $51 million, said he would drop the LP if he was paid.
As if that wasn’t enough, Shkreli claims Dr. Dre’s long-awaited and highly-anticipated Detox is on deck.” After many years of delays and teasers, the album was reportedly scrapped and last year, Dre released his final LP, Compton.