Am I the only one who loves this? The arguments here all seem to portray this as if Wu-Tang, or anybody really, plans on using this as a new business model that is sustainable and repeatable. In that light it is seen as "regressive" and "anti-innovative", or it won't work because it'll get leaked, history trends toward open etc.
In reality it's a very smart marketing tactic (they're selling another album with regular distribution btw), and is a piece of performance art in its own right. It raises questions and encourages discussion about the value of art & music in the digital age. This is particularly noteworthy coming from the rap genre which is typically not given enough credit for its role in shaping music trends and pop culture generally. The "art" in question isn't really about the music, it's about framing music as art.
In reality it's a very smart marketing tactic (they're selling another album with regular distribution btw), and is a piece of performance art in its own right. It raises questions and encourages discussion about the value of art & music in the digital age. This is particularly noteworthy coming from the rap genre which is typically not given enough credit for its role in shaping music trends and pop culture generally. The "art" in question isn't really about the music, it's about framing music as art.
[Edited for grammar/spelling]