DD Support Board and Research Team

[scion]

Martin Shkreli offers $10M for Kanye's new album

Jayme Deerwester and Kevin McCoy, USA TODAY 6:46 p.m. EST February 11, 2016
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/02/11/martin-shkreli-offers-10m-kanyes-new-abum/80252584/

You knew this was coming. And yet it still won't stop you from cringing.

Everyone's favorite smirking former pharma-bro, Martin Shkreli, is looking to expand his collection of seminal rap albums. And this time, he's come for Kanye West and The Life of Pablo. And he may do for Kanye what he did for the House Oversight Committee: Make him look good to even his most ardent haters by comparison.

Here is my initial offer for the album. @kanyewest Thanks for your consideration and I look forward to your response pic.twitter.com/opJ7mlfraK

— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 11, 2016

So, evidently, that advice from attorney Benjamin Brafman telling him to "zip it" didn't really sink in.

The offer is for $10 million, five times what he paid for Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Under the terms of the offer, Kanye would release the album to him and him alone. After all, Shkreli, 32, needs entertainment more than ever now that he's out of a job and awaiting a possible federal trial on fraud charges.

But if we were Kanye and entertaining the offer, we'd ask for a cashier's check. Shkreli is out on $5 million bond after his fraud arrest in December, to which he pleaded innocent. But much of his estimated $45 million worth maybe be tied up in stock from one of his old companies, which is now under bankruptcy protection. The tax man is after him as well — the IRS says he owes $4.6 million while New York State wants him to cough up $2.7 million. (Brafman's law firm issued a "no comment" to USA TODAY regarding the album offer and tax lien estimates.)

Bottom line: Even if Shkreli can afford Pablo, he may have to use it as collateral.

We probably shouldn't expect a rapid response from Kanye, who's unveiling his new album and fashion collection tonight at Madison Square Garden. If and when he does reply, it should be an enjoyable read. Perhaps along the lines of ...

AWW HELL NAW
video

In the meantime, maybe Ghostface Killah or one of his bandmates can weigh in and make things interesting. Just don't ask them to be character witnesses at your trial, Shkreli.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2016/02/11/martin-shkreli-offers-10m-kanyes-new-abum/80252584/