'Pharma bro' Martin Shkreli tries to buy Kanye's new album 'so it don't get released publicly'

"Pharma Bro" Shkreli offers Kanye 10 million for new album.
(Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Widely despised 'pharma bro' Martin Shkreli strikes again and this time, he's after Kanye West's new album The Life of Pablo. As if hiking the price of a cancer and HIV drug by 5,000 percent wasn't bad enough, Shkreli now wants to ensure that no one but him can listen to West's new album.

On Thursday — the day West debuted his album alongside his latest fashion line, Yeezy Season 3, at a Madison Square Garden event — Shkreli offered on Twitter to buy it for $10 million. Shkreli assured West and his partners that they will find this offer "more attractive" than their "current course of action."

— cantworkitout on 

Then, Shkreli contends, if he can't get his way, he could at least delay the rest of the world hearing The Life of Pablo "by a few days."

Article continues below

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
— cantworkitout on 

In his offer letter, Shkreli says that that he should own the album because he has "been a tremendous fan of [West's] music for many years." He cites West's album, The College Dropout, as integral to inspiring him to "succeed at a young age."

Shkreli is the sole owner Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. He reportedly paid $2 million for the single existing copy of the album.

Explore More