Ol' Dirty Bastard

Not to be confused with his son, Young Dirty Bastard.

Ol' Dirty Bastard
Headshot of Ol' Dirty Bastard looking towards the right against a dark backdrop
Ol' Dirty Bastard at a Wu-Tang Clan concert
Born
Russell Tyrone Jones

(1968-11-15)November 15, 1968
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
DiedNovember 13, 2004(2004-11-13) (aged 35)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Other names
  • ODB
  • Ason Unique
  • Dirt McGirt
  • Joe Bananas
  • The Specialist
  • Dirt Dog
  • Osirus
  • Big Baby Jesus
  • Old Dirty Chinese Restaurant
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active1992–2004
ChildrenBetween 7 and 13,[1] including Young Dirty Bastard
Relatives
Musical career
GenresHip hop
DiscographyOl' Dirty Bastard discography
Labels
Formerly ofWu-Tang Clan

Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004),[3] better known by his stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group primarily from Staten Island, New York City, which rose to mainstream prominence with its 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).[4][2]

His professional success was hampered by frequent legal troubles, including incarceration.[3] He died on November 13, 2004, of an accidental drug overdose, at age 35.[5]

Ol' Dirty Bastard was noted for his "outrageously profane, free-associative rhymes delivered in a distinctive half-rapped, half-sung style".[3] His stage name was derived from the 1980 Chinese martial arts film Ol' Dirty and the Bastard (also called An Old Kung Fu Master, starring Yuen Siu-tien).[6] According to fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard's name was also a reference to the unique nature of his rapping and, specifically, the fact "there ain't no father to his style."[7][8][9]

He is the father of rapper Young Dirty Bastard.

  1. ^ Lowe, Jaime (November 13, 2013). "7 Ways to Remember Ol' Dirty Bastard". Vulture. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Ol' Dirty Bastard | Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates, Ringtones, and Lyrics". MTV. Archived from the original on January 7, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "Ol' Dirty Bastard Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  4. ^ "Official Site of the Wu-Tang Clan". Wu-Tang Corp. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  5. ^ Zahlaway, Jon (December 15, 2004). "Autopsy shows Ol' Dirty Bastard died of accidental drug overdose". LiveDaily. Archived from the original on January 6, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  6. ^ "An Old Kung Fu Master (1981)". HKMDB.com. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  7. ^ "Can It Be All So Simple / Intermission Lyrics". Genius.com. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  8. ^ "No Father to His Style". kenyonreview.org. January 12, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "No Father to His Style: 10 Iconic Ol' Dirty Bastard Joints". TheSource.com. November 13, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2022.