Ol' Dirty Bastard simultaneously brought a measure of humor and a touch of the absurd to the Wu-Tang Clan. Often noted for his unusual mic technique (critic Steve Huey writes of Jones's "outrageously profane, free-associative rhymes" delivered "in a distinctive half-rapped, half-sung style"), Jones's stage name came from a 1980 kung fu film entitled Ol' Dirty & The Bastard, the relevance of which was articulated by Method Man's assertion that there was "no father" to Jones's style.
After establishing the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol' Dirty Bastard went on to a successful solo career. However, his professional success was hampered by his erratic personal behavior and frequent legal troubles, including incarceration. He died in late 2004 of a drug overdose in a recording studio.
Life and Career
Ol' Dirty Bastard was born Russell Jones in Brooklyn in 1968, and grew up in the neighborhood of Fort Greene. As he got older, he started hanging out more and more with his cousins Robert Diggs and Gary Grice; they all shared a taste for rap music and kung-fu movies. Diggs, later to be known as the RZA, Grice, later the GZA, and Jones formed Force Of The Imperial Master, which subsequently became known as the All in Together Now Crew after they had a successful underground single of that name.
Wu-Tang Clan
The cousins soon added six more friends and associates to the Clan, and released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993 (1993 in music). 36 Chambers received enormous critical praise, and is now widely regarded as one of the best and most influential albums of any genre to be released in the 1990s, as well as one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
While most of the group's members received individual praise from critics and fans, Jones became perhaps the best-known member of the group. Armed with a seemingly crazed, slurred, often off-beat, half-sung half-rapped delivery, bizarre lyrics and humorous antics that were unlike anything ever heard before in rap, he seemed to encapsulate and personify the raw, unadulterated and innovative style of the group.
Ol' Dirty Bastard takes his name from the 1980 film by Meng-Hwa Ho called An Old Kung Fu Master, known also as Mad Mad Kung Fu and Ol' Dirty & The Bastard. The movie features Yuen Siu Tien aka Simon Yuen who can also be found in other classics such as Drunken Master. Yuen Siu Tien often played a character of an old drunkard who had mastered the martial art of Drunken Boxing.
Solo career
ODB's solo career began in 1995, the second member of the Wu-Tang Clan to release a solo album, following Method Man's 1994 effort, Tical. Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, released on March 28, 1995, spawned the hit singles Brooklyn Zoo and Shimmy Shimmy Ya, and powered the album to gold status. The album's sound was as raw and gritty as 36 Chambers, producer RZA creating beats even more minimalist and stripped-down than on the group's debut.
That same year, he was featured on the remix of Mariah Carey's "Fantasy". What might have seemed like an unlikely pairing spawned a major hit song. "Fantasy" was among the first popular pop, R&B, and hip hop collaborations.
Around this time, Jones gained notoriety when, as he was being profiled for an MTV biography, he took two of his thirteen children by limousine to a New York State welfare office to pick up his welfare check while his latest album was still in the top ten of the US charts. The entire incident was filmed by an MTV camera crew and was broadcast nationwide.
In 1997, ODB appeared on the Wu-Tang Clan's second and most commercially successful album, Wu-Tang Forever. However, Jones appeared less often on the Clan's sophomore than on the debut; he contributed a solo track titled "Dog Shit" as well as hooks ("As High As Wu-Tang Get") and spoken introductions ("Triumph"), but other than these appearances and featuring prominently on the songs "Maria" and "Reunited," as well as delivering a very short verse on "Heaterz", he was absent.
In February 1998, Jones witnessed a car accident from the window of his Brooklyn recording studio. He and a friend ran to the accident scene and organized about a dozen onlookers who assisted in lifting the 1996 Ford Mustang—rescuing a 4-year-old girl from the wreckage. She was taken to a hospital with second and third degree burns. Using a false name, Jones visited the girl in the hospital frequently until he was spotted by members of the media.
The evening following the traffic accident, Jones rushed onstage unexpectedly during Shawn Colvin's acceptance speech for "Song of the Year" at the Grammy Awards, and began complaining that he had recently purchased expensive clothes in anticipation of winning the "Best Rap Album" award that he lost to Puff Daddy. Before being escorted off-stage, he implored the audience, "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!" (He evidently was confused between Shawn Colvin and Sean Combs, Puff Daddy's real name). His bizarre onstage antics were widely reported in the mainstream media.
In April 1998, he announced his new stage name, Big Baby Jesus (the first of many alternate stage names; see the list below), but was never able to give a coherent explanation for the very brief switch.
In 1999, he found time to release Nigga Please between jail sentences, which received much success and was even more bizarrely warped than his debut. This release included the single "Got Your Money" which became extremely successful in the US and elsewhere; it was produced by The Neptunes, and its success would serve as one of the production group's main stepping stones to the superstardom they would later achieve. As well as the Neptunes, the single also put singer Kelis, who sang the chorus, on the map; she went on to have a successful solo career.
In 2001, with Jones again in jail for crack cocaine possession, his record company Elektra Records made the decision to release a greatest hits album (despite there being only two albums in ODB's back catalogue) in order to both end their contract with the unreliable, troubled artist as well as make some money off the publicity generated by his legal troubles. After the contract with Elektra was terminated, the label D-3 records released the album "The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones" in 2002, comprised of tracks put together without Jones's input, using the vocals he had recorded prior to his capture by authorities. The label recruited many guests including several Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, No Limit Records artist C-Murder, and the Insane Clown Posse. However, the album was critically panned and sales were poor.
The year 2003 brought a change in the life of Ol' Dirty Bastard however. The day he was released from prison, with Mariah Carey and Damon Dash by his side, Jones signed a contract with Roc-A-Fella Records, and began a new chapter in his life. Living at his mother's home under house arrest and with a court-ordered probation hanging over his head, he managed to star in a VH1 reality television series. He also managed to record a new album, scheduled to be released in 2006 through Dame Dash Music Group.
He had stated that he also planned on collaborating with artists in the electronic music genre, such as Carnage and The Fiasco, Fischerspooner, and possibly even Massive Attack.
Legal troubles
In 1993, ODB was convicted of second degree assault for an attempted robbery and in 1994, he was shot in the abdomen following an argument with another rapper.
In 1997, he was arrested for failure to pay child support for three of his thirteen children. His wife, Icelene Jones, claimed he had not paid any support in over a year.
In 1998, he pled guilty to attempted assault on his wife and was the victim of a home invasion robbery at his girlfriend's house. He was shot in the back and arm but the wounds were superficial.
In July 1998, only days after being shot in a push-in robbery at a cousin's house in Brooklyn, he was arrested for shoplifting a pair of $50 shoes in Virginia Beach, Virginia, although he was carrying close to $500 at the time. He was issued bench warrants by the Virginia Beach Sheriffs Department to stand trial after he failed to appear in court numerous times. He was arrested for criminal threatening after a series of drunken confrontations in Los Angeles a few weeks later, and was then re-arrested for similar charges not long after that.
During a routine traffic stop, the details of which remain clouded in multiple versions of events, he was arrested for attempted murder and criminal weapon possession. The case was later dismissed.
In February 1999, he was arrested for driving without a license and for being a convicted felon wearing a bulletproof vest (the first person arrested for this infraction under a new California law). Back in New York weeks later, he was arrested for drug possession of crack cocaine and for traffic offenses. With multiple cases in the past and present, he was arrested with marijuana and 20 vials of crack. After his arrest, ODB reportedly asked the police to "make the rocks disappear". During a court hearing, he once called a female prosecutor a "sperm donor."
This criminal record was commented on by Chris Rock in his 1999 spoken word song, "No Sex (In the Champagne Room)", with Rock asserting that "ODB couldn'tve possibly committed all those crimes. Coolio did some of that shit."
ODB entered rehab while still technically a fugitive from the law, but strange behavior during a subsequent court date sent him to jail for a brief period.
In October 2000, he escaped from his court-mandated drug treatment facility and spent one month as a fugitive. During his time on the run, he hooked up with the RZA and managed to log some time in the recording studio. He then appeared onstage swigging a bottle at a record release party for The W, a Wu-Tang Clan album. He was later arrested in a Philadelphia McDonald's parking lot while signing autographs, and extradited to New York City. A Manhattan court sentenced him to two to four years incarceration. Mental problems resulted in a suicide attempt not long after his sentencing.
In May 2003, Russell Jones was released from prison. It was said that long time friend, Mariah Carey, picked him up after his release.
At first, his legal troubles and odd behavior made Jones "something of a folk hero", according to The New Yorker writer Michael Agger. However, Huey writes that "it was difficult for observers to tell whether ODB's wildly erratic behavior was the result of serious drug problems or genuine mental instability ... the possibility that his continued antics were at least partly the result of conscious image-making disappeared as time wore on."
Russell Jones collapsed at approximately 5:29 p.m. on November 13, 2004 at Wu-Tang's recording studio (36 Records LLC on West 34th Street in New York City). He was pronounced dead less than an hour later. He was buried at Brooklyn's Christian Cultural Center.
A statement was released on Saturday (November 13, 2004) evening by his mother Cherry Jones:
"This evening, I received a phone call that is every mother's worst dream," she said. "My son, Russell Jones, passed away. To the public, he was known as Ol' Dirty Bastard, but to me, he was known as Rusty, the kindest, most generous soul on earth. I appreciate all the support and prayers that I have received. Russell was more than a rapper, he was a loving father, brother, uncle, and most of all, son."
A statement was also released by Damon Dash, who signed ODB to Roc-A-Fella Records in the fall of 2004:
"All of us in the Roc-A-Fella family are shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of our brother and friend. Russell inspired all of us with his spirit, wit and tremendous heart. He will be missed dearly, and our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences go out to his wonderful family. The world has lost a great talent, but we mourn the loss of our friend."
The cause of death remained unknown until December 15, 2004; although he reportedly complained of chest pains prior to collapsing, a heart attack was not listed as the cause of death. During the initial autopsy of the 35-year-old rapper, a doubled plastic bag containing cocaine was discovered in his stomach. Final results from an autopsy show he had a lethal mixture of the prescription painkiller Tramadol and high amounts of cocaine in his system at the time of his death, which was ruled an accidental overdose by the New York Medical Examiner's Office.
Damage
Ol' Dirty Bastard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Dirty, Ol' Dirty Bastard)
(The Genius! Genius)
The Genius (The Genius, the Genius)
I'll grab and the mic and now I damage you, cut your whole stamina
Here comes the medical examiner
One verse then you're out for the count
Wake him up and then I ask him
Why did he attend this
Competition to get an ass kickin' so tremendous
Boy you shouldn't bother this
Leave me alone like the (son said G or he'll be fatherless!)
I got the Asiatic flow mixed with disco
Roll up on the scene like the Count of Monte Cristo
And MC's start to vanish
(I stepped up to a jet black kid, started speakin' Spanish!
Yo he wasn't from Panama
I asked him how he get so dark, the nigga said suntama!
He responded so fast, you made me laugh)
Ha-ha-ha, (then I scared-his ass!)
Kick the hundred strongest rhymes
I brought out the punk in him
Caught him with a strong five deadly venom
Told him enter the Wu-Tang
Witness the Shaolin slang, that'll crush the shit you bring
I watch your ass take a big fall, why
My Main Source, is like a friendly game of stickball
And as you step up to batman (I play the riddler)
You try to do me for a rhyme (then I'll change to Hitler)
Go out like Nazi you'll be wishin' your fuckin' ass stayed
Home and played (Yahtzee!)
Or watchin' Happy Days sweatin' (Poxie)
With Ralphie and Richie Cunningham, Joni and (Chachi)
Wu, who? Me gettin' wreck so I'm through
Like a ten and a half foot, gettin' in a seven (shoe)
(Now picture that with a Minolta)
Have your ass doin' some Night Fever shit like John Travolta
I come strong I make knowledge born, I flip the script
And rock on from P.M. (past the fucking Dawn)
Pass the Hammer you're broke down, niggas grab my what what
Can't understand it here's the panorama
(A complete view of how I defeat you)
Should of stepped to those fuckin' kids who tried to (beat you)
Yeah I bust that ass before
(You ran to Texas and came back but forgot the chainsaw!)
And want to perform a massacre
Better be coming with some motherfucking shit that's spectacular
Crush the person who did 'em, well you just better
So I'm stepping to your (raggedy ass Jetta)
Put the pedal to the metal
You and your DJ change your name to Ma and Pa Kettle
As I (pass the bone, kicks your every measure)
It's not a Newport but it's still live with pleasure
(Come on don't be silly, just a bag of sensemili
Rolled up in a Motown Philly
(I used to write all the time when I smoked
Grab the mic, then I kinda like went for broke
With visually concepts strongest rhymes and biceps
Lyrically speakin', three to four rhymes then choke
Some think they be harmin' this, claimin' they be bombin' this)
But they still remains a-nom-ynous
I pull strings like Jimi Hendrix
Ride more beats that go backs to the days of Eddie Kendricks
I teach the truth to the youth, I say (hey youth)
Here's the truth, better start wearing (bullet proof)
Arm yourself with a shield
(Before you get trapped up) just like the Children in the Cornfield
The song "Damage" by Ol' Dirty Bastard is a skillfully crafted hip hop track that showcases the artistic and lyrical abilities of the Wu-Tang Clan member. The song features insightful lyrics that are full of metaphors and wordplay, and their interpretation requires keen attention to detail. "Damage" opens with a group of voices chanting "peace," which is followed by ODB's signature deep voice announcing his arrival. He quickly grabs the mic and begins lashing out at his opponents, warning them of the imminent destruction he is going to unleash upon them.
Throughout the song, ODB adopts the persona of a skilled warrior who is ready to take on any challengers who dare to step up to him. He uses his wits and lyrics as his weapons, weaving together a series of clever wordplays and metaphors that leave his opponents staggered. He also showcases his ability to speak different languages, switching between English and Spanish fluently in one of the verses. The song ends with ODB dispensing some valuable advice to the youth, urging them to armor themselves with truth and bulletproof vests to survive in the hostile world they live in.
Facts about the song "Damage":
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll grab and the mic and now I damage you, cut your whole stamina
I will take the microphone and demolish your energy and stamina with my power
Here comes the medical examiner
I'm so good, I'll cause a fatal rap attack and need a medical examiner
One verse then you're out for the count
My words are so strong that you'll be knocked out after one verse
(Bring the ammonia) make sure he sniffs the right amount
Bring the ammonia to awaken him, but make sure he doesn't overdose
Why did he attend this
Why did he even show up to this competition?
Competition to get an ass kickin' so tremendous
This competition is a way for people to get demolished and humiliated
Boy you shouldn't bother this
You shouldn't even try to step to me
Leave me alone like the (son said G or he'll be fatherless!)
Get lost and leave me alone like a son who disrespects his father
I got the Asiatic flow mixed with disco
I have a unique style that blends Asiatic flow and disco beats
Roll up on the scene like the Count of Monte Cristo
I arrive on the scene with the same level of style and flair as the Count of Monte Cristo
And MC's start to vanish
Other MC's begin to disappear when I enter the scene
(I stepped up to a jet black kid, started speakin' Spanish!
I once spoke to a black kid in Spanish, surprising him
Yo he wasn't from Panama
He wasn't from Panama, despite my assumption
I asked him how he get so dark, the nigga said suntama!
I asked him how he got so dark and he responded with a silly joke
He responded so fast, you made me laugh)
He responded quickly and made me laugh at his joke
Ha-ha-ha, (then I scared-his ass!)
I laughed at his joke and then made him nervous
Kick the hundred strongest rhymes
I spit the most powerful rhymes- one after another
I brought out the punk in him
I exposed his true, cowardly nature
Caught him with a strong five deadly venom
I hit him with a deadly blow of my words
Told him enter the Wu-Tang
I challenged him to face the might of the Wu-Tang
Witness the Shaolin slang, that'll crush the shit you bring
See the power of the Wu-Tang, it will destroy everything you have
I watch your ass take a big fall, why
I witness you fall like nothing, with ease
My Main Source, is like a friendly game of stickball
My main source of power is like a simple, friendly game of stickball
And as you step up to batman (I play the riddler)
As you try to take on me, I become your riddler, teasing and taunting you
You try to do me for a rhyme (then I'll change to Hitler)
If you try to attack me with words, I'll come at you with the ferocity of Hitler
Go out like Nazi you'll be wishin' your fuckin' ass stayed
You'll regret messing with me, and wish that you had never tried
Home and played (Yahtzee!)
Instead, you could be at home playing Yahtzee
Or watchin' Happy Days sweatin' (Poxie)
You could be comfortably watching Happy Days with a cold drink
With Ralphie and Richie Cunningham, Joni and (Chachi)
You could be watching Happy Days with Ralphie, Richie Cunningham, Joni, and Chachi
Wu, who? Me gettin' wreck so I'm through
Who beat you down? It's the Wu, and I'm leaving after decimating you
Like a ten and a half foot, gettin' in a seven (shoe)
I'm too big for anyone to take me on
(Now picture that with a Minolta)
Imagine that- it's like a picture taken with a Minolta camera
Have your ass doin' some Night Fever shit like John Travolta
I'll have you dancing all night like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever
I come strong I make knowledge born, I flip the script
I come with power and wisdom, flipping the script and changing the game
And rock on from P.M. (past the fucking Dawn)
I keep rocking all night long, past the dawn of a new day
Pass the Hammer you're broke down, niggas grab my what what
I'm so good that you're going to need the hammer to fix yourself, while everyone else just listens
Can't understand it here's the panorama
It's so good, it's difficult to understand. Here's the big picture
(A complete view of how I defeat you)
A full, clear view of how I destroy you
Should of stepped to
those fuckin' kids who tried to (beat you)
You should have fought the weaker kids, instead of stepping up to me- a challenge you could never master
Yeah I bust that ass before
I've destroyed people like you countless times before
(You ran to Texas and came back but forgot the chainsaw!)
You ran away to Texas and back, but forgot the tool you would need to take me on
And want to perform a massacre
You think you can massacre the stage with your words
Better be coming with some motherfucking shit that's spectacular
If you want to beat me, you'll need to bring something truly incredible and mind-blowing
Crush the person who did 'em, well you just better
I'll destroy anyone who tries to come at me with weak rhymes- you better watch out
So I'm stepping to your (raggedy ass Jetta)
I'm coming to face you and your crappy car
Put the pedal to the metal
I'm stepping on the gas and coming hard
You and your DJ change your name to Ma and Pa Kettle
After I'm done with you, you and your DJ will have to retire and become a boring old couple
As I (pass the bone, kicks your every measure)
As I hit the rhymes hard and flow seamlessly
It's not a Newport but it's still live with pleasure
I'm not smoking a Newport cigarette, but the rhymes still give me pleasure
(Come on don't be silly, just a bag of sensemili
Don't be ridiculous, it's just a bag of sensimilla
Rolled up in a Motown Philly
The sensimilla is mixed with Motown Philly beats
(I used to write all the time when I smoked
I used to write rhymes all the time while I smoked sensimilla
Grab the mic, then I kinda like went for broke
I take the mic and go all out, putting everything on the line
With visually concepts strongest rhymes and biceps
I'm strong both mentally through my lyrics and physically with my biceps
Lyrically speakin', three to four rhymes then choke
I speak powerful rhymes for three or four lines before ending it with an aggressive choke
Some think they be harmin' this, claimin' they be bombin' this)
Others try to hurt me and claim that they're beating me
But they still remains a-nom-ynous
Despite their claims, they still remain anonymous and unknown
I pull strings like Jimi Hendrix
Like Jimi Hendrix, I control the situation and manipulate it in my favor
Ride more beats that go backs to the days of Eddie Kendricks
I ride beats that take me back to the days of Eddie Kendricks
I teach the truth to the youth, I say (hey youth)
I educate the younger generation and teach them the truth
Here's the truth, better start wearing (bullet proof)
The truth is that the world is dangerous, you better start wearing bullet proof vests
Arm yourself with a shield
Protect yourself with a shield and be ready for anything
(Before you get trapped up) just like the Children in the Cornfield
Before you get trapped in dangerous situations, like the children in the cornfield
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Russell Jones, Robert Diggs, Clifford Smith, Selwyn Bongard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
diesel101raw
I wished we got more of this Hyped Gza on his Solo stuff 🔥🔥
Brendan Arthur
I saw him live last Tuesday. It was so hyped.
diesel101raw
@Brendan Arthur 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Viliami Hirvi
Yea
Viliami Hirvi
@Brendan Arthurnice
Sugar Tay
This still hit 🔥🔥🔥
jevon1007
Underrated duo
Beyond Sane
Didnt know rza gza and odb were all blood related. thats dope af
Tickaninny Pcg
Supreme Galaxy nah rza said that odb is related to them through marriage
Shawn Mcpherson
Tickaninny Pcg rza gza and odb are all cousins