MANILA, Philippines – Martin Shkreli, the so-called “Pharma Bro,” is at it again.
After the “poster boy of drug company greed,” as US presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders would put it, splurged $2 million on a rare Wu-Tang Clan album, Shkreli offered to buy Kanye West’s much-anticipated new album – now titled The Life of Pablo. (READ: Kanye West names album 'The Life of Pablo' – but who's Pablo?)
He addressed this to Yeezy himself in a series of tweets:
{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">aiyo <a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest">@kanyewest</a> last minute can i buy your album out so it dont get released publicly</p>— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/697891692242935813">February 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
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For a whopping $10 million, Shkreli pitched to keep the sole copy of the album all to himself. In a letter addressed to West, he wrote, “Instead of releasing the product for your millions of fans, I ask you to sell this recording solely to me […] I believe you (and your partners) will find this financial arrangement more attractive than your current course of action.”
Elsewhere, he tried to raise the appeal of his pitch by referencing Kanye’s 2004 seminal debut album The College Dropout saying, “The album The College Dropout inspired me to succeed at a young age.” According to Bloomberg, Shkreli was a high school dropout who had made a fortune from hedge funds.
{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is my initial offer for the album. <a href="https://twitter.com/kanyewest">@kanyewest</a> Thanks for your consideration and I look forward to your response <a href="https://t.co/opJ7mlfraK">pic.twitter.com/opJ7mlfraK</a></p>— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/697897324329177088">February 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Shkreli added in another tweet that West is legally bound to respond to his message.
{source} <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kanye and his label are legally required to take my offer letter to their Board of Directors. This should delay the album by a few days.</p>— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/697897924353773573">February 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Martin Shkreli initially gained infamy for jacking up the price of a crucial HIV drug from $13.50 to $750 in September 2015. (READ: Reviled pharma chief Martin Shkreli charged with fraud)
Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo was unveiled on Thursday, February 11 (Friday, February 12 in Manila) in conjunction with his Yeezy clothing line’s Season 3 launch. – Rappler.com