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.
Fantasy
Ol' Dirty Bastard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keepin' it real, son (oh, ooh), that's right
The shining star (yeah, yeah, yeah), you're my shining star, girl
Yo, New York in the house (come on)
Is Brooklyn in the house? (That's right)
Uptown in the house (let's go)
Boogie Down, are you in the house? (Yeah)
Sacramento in the house (I like that)
Atlanta, Georgia, are you in the house? (Come on)
West Coast, are you in the house?
Japan, are you in the house?
Everybody, are you in the house?
Baby, baby, come on
Baby, come on, baby, come on (Bad Boy)
Oh, when you walk by every night
Talkin' sweet and lookin' fine
I get kinda hectic inside
Mmm, baby, I'm so into you
Darlin', if you only knew
All the things that flow through my mind
But it's just a (come on) sweet, sweet, yeah (I'm in heaven)
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (oh, yeah, yeah)
There's no beginning and there is no end (so deep, so deep)
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping (sweet, sweet fantasy)
Fantasy (remix)
Sweet fantasy (so sweet)
You're my fantasy
Sweet fantasy
Sweet, sweet fantasy
Images of rapture
Creep into me slowly
As you're goin' to my head (I like that)
And my heart beats faster
When you take me over
Time and time and time again
But it's just a (sing), yeah, baby (I'm in heaven)
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (my, yeah)
There's no beginning and there is no end (so deep, so deep)
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping (sweet fantasy)
(Remix)
Sweet fantasy (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Sweet fantasy (yeah)
Oh, oh, it's just a sweet
I'm in heaven
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (oh, oh, oh)
There's no beginning and there is no end (so deep, baby, just a sweet)
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping (fantasy)
Ladies and Gentlemen
Introducing the Old, Dirty, Doggy (yeah)
Here we go now, duh, duh
Me and Mariah
Go back like babies with pacifiers (that's right)
Old Dirt Dog's no liar (uh)
Keep your fantasy hot like fire
Jump, jump, let me see you do the stump
Girls, let me see you shake your rump (yeah)
Brothers, hit it from the back and front
And let's do it, do it, do it, uh-huh
I'm a little bit of country
I'm a little bit of rock and roll
And I'm soul to soul
Big letters, all big and bold
Old Dirty Bastard, bask and blow
I'm in heaven
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend
There's no beginning and there is no end (sweet fantasy)
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping
What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
I'm gon' do a remix
What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
I'm gon' do a remix
What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
I'm gon' have some fun
What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
I'm gon' have some fun (yeah, you're my fantasy)
I'm in heaven (sweet baby, sweet baby)
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (lovin' baby, summer baby)
There's no beginning and there is no end (fantasy baby, oh)
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping (girl)
My fantasy
I'm in heaven (sugar pie, sugar pie)
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (sugar pie, yeah)
The song "Fantasy" by Ol' Dirty Bastard is a remix of Mariah Carey's original version. The lyrics are about the desire for a romantic fantasy and a fantasy female figure that the artist is into. O.D.B. keeps it real, bringing his distinct style and flow to the remix as he talks about his own interpretation of the fantasy.
In the lyrics, O.D.B. names different cities around the world, asking if they are present and representing. It is a way of showing unity and togetherness, bringing people from all over the world together for the same thing.
The second part of the song is a collaboration with Mariah Carey herself, bringing in her sweet and melodic voice against O.D.B.'s gritty and harsh vocals. The lyrics talk about the sensations and emotions brought by the idea of an irresistible fantasy.
The chorus "It's just a sweet, sweet fantasy, baby" is repeated throughout the song, making it the main theme of the remix. Overall, the song blends together Mariah Carey's R&B style with O.D.B.'s hip hop style, creating a unique and interesting combination.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, yeah, yeah
Acknowledgment and agreement with something said or done.
Keepin' it real, son (oh, ooh), that's right
Staying true to oneself and being genuine.
The shining star (yeah, yeah, yeah), you're my shining star, girl
Giving praise and admiration to someone for being special and outstanding.
Yo, New York in the house (come on)
Welcoming people from New York City to participate and have a good time.
Is Brooklyn in the house? (That's right)
Asking if people from Brooklyn are present and affirming that they are.
Uptown in the house (let's go)
Asking if people from uptown (north Manhattan) are present and encouraging them to participate.
Shaolin, are you in the house? (Don't stop)
Asking if people from Shaolin (referring to Staten Island and its Wu-Tang Clan affiliation) are present and encouraging them to keep having fun.
Boogie Down, are you in the house? (Yeah)
Asking if people from the Boogie Down Bronx are present and giving a positive response to it.
Sacramento in the house (I like that)
Acknowledging that people from Sacramento (in California) are present and showing appreciation for it.
Atlanta, Georgia, are you in the house? (Come on)
Asking if people from Atlanta are present and encouraging them to join the party.
West Coast, are you in the house?
Asking if people from the West Coast of the United States (particularly California) are present.
Japan, are you in the house?
Asking if people from Japan are present and can hear the music.
Everybody, are you in the house?
Asking if everyone present is having a good time and enjoying themselves.
Baby, baby, come on
Inviting someone to dance or engage in a romantic way.
Oh, when you walk by every night
Being captivated by someone's beauty and presence.
Talkin' sweet and lookin' fine
Noticing and appreciating someone's charm and good looks.
I get kinda hectic inside
Feeling overwhelmed and excited by emotions or external stimuli.
Mmm, baby, I'm so into you
Expressing strong attraction and interest in someone.
Darlin', if you only knew
Implying that the person being addressed would feel flattered and impressed if they knew how much they were admired.
All the things that flow through my mind
Referring to the many thoughts and fantasies that the person being addressed inspires.
But it's just a (come on) sweet, sweet, yeah (I'm in heaven)
Acknowledging that the good feelings experienced are due to a romantic relationship.
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (oh, yeah, yeah)
Referring affectionately to the person's partner who makes them happy.
There's no beginning and there is no end (so deep, so deep)
Feeling like the relationship and emotions experienced are all-encompassing and profound.
Feels like I'm dreaming, but I'm not sleeping (sweet, sweet fantasy)
Experiencing strong, vivid emotions and fantasies that sometimes seem surreal but are real.
Fantasy (remix)
A revised version of the song with a different beat and additional verses.
Sweet fantasy (so sweet)
Emphasizing the pleasant and enjoyable feelings of the relationship and experiences.
You're my fantasy
Acknowledging that the person being addressed is the source of the romantic and pleasureful experiences.
Images of rapture
Referring to intense, ecstatic feelings and sensations.
Creep into me slowly
Feeling entranced and overwhelmed by strong emotions and sensations coming slowly.
As you're goin' to my head (I like that)
Experiencing such pleasure and excitement that it feels surreal and wonderful.
And my heart beats faster
Feeling that the emotions and sensations are overpowering and exhilarating.
When you take me over
Feeling that the person being addressed is making the person feel overwhelmed and powerless in a good way.
Time and time and time again
Experiencing these feelings and sensations repeatedly and consistently over time.
Sing, yeah, baby (I'm in heaven)
Feeling very good, happy, and content with oneself and one's romantic relationship.
With my boyfriend, my laughing boyfriend (my, yeah)
Referring to the person's partner who makes them happy and improves their mood.
Ladies and Gentlemen
A polite and respectful way of addressing the audience and initiating a change of tone.
Introducing the Old, Dirty, Doggy (yeah)
Referring to the performer in a humorous and self-deprecating way, to create a relaxed atmosphere.
Here we go now, duh, duh
Starting a new section of the song with a simple, catchy phrase.
Me and Mariah
Referring to Mariah Carey, who sings the original version of Fantasy and collaborated on this remix.
Go back like babies with pacifiers (that's right)
Remembering a long-standing relationship between the performer and Mariah, since childhood, and expressing pride and joy in it.
Old Dirt Dog's no liar (uh)
Emphasizing that the performer's stage name is authentic and not fabricated.
Keep your fantasy hot like fire
Encouraging the listener to maintain their romantic and pleasurable experiences as exciting, intense, and captivating.
Jump, jump, let me see you do the stump
Commanding the listener to dance in a specific way, and expressing enthusiasm about it.
Girls, let me see you shake your rump (yeah)
Inviting women to dance and demonstrate their hips and buttocks movements, using a friendly and upbeat tone.
Brothers, hit it from the back and front
Encouraging men to have sexual relations with women from different positions, using slang and vulgar language.
And let's do it, do it, do it, uh-huh
Repeating the same command to dance and have sex enthusiastically and repeatedly.
I'm a little bit of country
Referring to one's rural and southern roots, accent or culture.
I'm a little bit of rock and roll
Referring to one's urban and northern roots, accent or culture.
And I'm soul to soul
Feeling a strong bond and connection with oneself and others, and expressing it through music and emotions.
Big letters, all big and bold
Referring to the large and conspicuous typography of one's name or message.
Old Dirty Bastard, bask and blow
Referring to oneself in a self-laudatory and humorous way, and using slang and vulgar language to express satisfaction and enjoyment.
What you gonna do when you get out of jail?
Asking a rhetorical and provocative question to oneself or to the listener about the future.
I'm gon' do a remix
Referring to the immediate plans or intentions to create a new version of the song or perform it differently.
I'm gon' have some fun
Expressing excitement and positive emotions about one's upcoming plans or actions.
Yeah, you're my fantasy
Recalling that the person being addressed is the subject of one's affection, admiration or fantasy.
Sugar pie, sugar pie
Using a term of endearment and expressing sweetness and affection towards the person being addressed.
(lyrics source: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/mariahcarey/fantasysweetefantasydubmix.html)
Providing credit and reference for the source of the lyrics, as required by intellectual property laws.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mariah Carey, Tina Weymouth, Christopher Frantz, Adrian Belew, Steven J.C. Stanley, Dave M.L. Hall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yuchube7325
Some history for ya'll who don't know, or need to be reminded about why this song (and Mariah Carey) are so incredibly iconic:
Rappers and Pop stars? In 2016, such a notion doesn’t seemed too far-fetched, right? In fact it's the freakin' norm. But in 1995, this was damn near scandalous. When Mariah wanted to get Ol’ Dirty Bastard of the Wu-Tang Clan to feature on Fantasy, her label (Sony) and her husband at the time (Tommy Mottola, Sony Exec.), both gagged. But somehow they let it happen.
However, fans of R&B, hip-hop and the like were floored. Never before had the genre (hip-hop) been embraced in such a big way by a “pop star.” And that very September, Mariah Carey forever changed the face of “pop music.”
It’s true, she didn’t invent the rap/sung collaboration, but she definitely pioneered it and made it mainstream. She made it work and it was an undeniable hit. Fantasy was #1 everywhere, on every chart, and became the first song by a female artist to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 where it spent 8 consecutive weeks.
So before there was Beyonce & Jay-Z, Rihanna & Drake, Taylor & Kendrick, Jlo & Pitbull or Katy & Juicy J, there was Mariah featuring O.D.B - You're welcome.
There is now a category at the Grammy Awards (the first of which Mariah should have won) for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration - You're welcome Grammys.
So pervasive is this style of music now that pop stars often release rapper-assisted singles (Rihanna) to increase their chances of a hit.
So next time you say or think that Mariah is trying to "stay relevant" by collaborating with rappers, just remember - she was first.
@jessicaluper912
My little brother was killed in 1996. He loved Mariah. Sometimes I play her and remember him. R.I.P
@directorclarkmonroe
Jessica Luper is my condolences
@luanllluan
So sorry.
@tophbeifong2135
Jessica Luper awww I’m so sorry. Rest In Peace to your bro.
@Boom12
Keep strong. Rest in peace to your bro.
@wildcat_savage96-33
Clark Monroe Productions my condolences
@errtime2010
No other combination like this until this day, the cuteness of Mariah and the goofy roughness of ODB. Legends never die, they never will!
@psychesoap
She knew him as a Young Dirty
@stutt530
Your comment gave me chills 😍
@dotcomGone
Lol "goofy roughness". The man, may or may not have been on some drugs at the time.