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.
Go Go Go
Ol' Dirty Bastard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo East New York in this motherfucker, Blahzay Blah in this motherfucker
Brooklyn in this motherfucker, Dirt Dog in this motherfucker, it's on point
[Hook: Ol' Dirty Bastard]
Come on baby let me you jump, let me see you body rhythm pump
Come on baby let me see you go, let me see you, like go, go, go
Aiyo, my timin' is so precise, gangsta all my life
I don't get robbed, I control the heist
Cold as ice, still nothing, this whole device
Life's a gamble, so I roll the dice
I camed up, still I'm up and coming
Auto start, put on my sneaks, truck is running
Bad broads, that's beyond Beyonce
Eatin' on my body like a dinner entree
What ya'll critics gonna say, don't even risk it
Forget Pillsbury, eat this Blah Blah biscuit
Ya'll watered down the game, man, like bar liquor
It's nothin' for me, I just buy the bar quicker
Oh my God, nigga, I'm in the house, and I'm rowdy
He been doin' this since five thousand on an Audi
Remember "Danger!" Yo, ya'll know Blah
This is grown under water, ya'll ain't even in my sonar
[Chorus: Blah Bloomberg (Ol' Dirty Bastard sample)]
The east is in the house like (danger)
About to, turn it out like "Oh My God" (danger)
Put the barrel in your mouth like (danger)
I see the dipper through a blouse, it's "Oh My God" (danger)
Me and Dirty on the floor like (danger)
Me and Dirty pimpin' ho's like "Oh My God"
[Ol' Dirty Bastard]
So then you act like you love my little baby
And you know that I act a little crazy
[Hook]
[Ol' Dirty Bastard]
I'm on the streets lingo, spendin' the spingo
Eazy-E lingo, doin' the dango, the vet' don't wear Kangol
I dare pump my shit, at the club, actin' strange, yo
Smack ya'll niggaz in the face, yo
Got wiggas in the place, yo, block party in this motherfucker
I'm the only round actin' like sucka, sucka bitch ass pucker
So don't play this motherfucker, or watch you bird clucker
So don't let yourself break yourself
With the sip and tumble, that will take yourself
I move with that heat that smoke you in your head, man
The shit war, time to take, man, take man
[Chorus]
[Hook]
[Blah Bloomberg]
East/West beef is over, gettin' money all over
Set up shop in Cali, then one in deli Dover
Music, or sellin' crack by the Grove
I ain't talkin' about dick, but I'mma stock it to hoes
I'm not gonna grow, I'm the type to explode
Hit this song to walk back in it, then it's gon' be white gold
Eatin' wild timing, ya'll know it's my title
I burn more bushes than Moses in the Bible
But hates gon' Holly, pimpin's gon' Broadway
So many pimps, broads don't know who to pay
But ya'll better have my dough
Come on baby, just go go go
Yo, I once was lost, but now I flaunt
2004 Porsche, all you haters get off
I will board-to-the-board, the-hang-the-hang
Down to the ground, to the ground, they bang, they bang
[Chorus]
[Hook]
The song "Go Go Go" by Ol' Dirty Bastard featuring Blah Bloomberg begins with a boastful introduction by Ol' Dirty Bastard. This leads up to the catchy hook that calls on the listener to dance along. Blah Bloomberg then comes in with confident rhymes about his timing and control over his life. He brings up his status and how it allows him to attract the attention of the opposite sex. He also mentions his success in the music industry and how he's not affected by critics. ODB jumps back in with his high-energy flow, referencing the street life and his disdain for those who try to copy his style. The chorus and hook are repeated until the end of the song.
The lyrics of "Go Go Go" are characteristic of the hip-hop genre, emphasizing the bravado and dominance in the music industry. The title and hook of the song can also be seen as a call to action, encouraging the listener to get up and dance. The beat is fast-paced and full of energy, typical of ODB's style.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo East New York in this motherfucker, Blahzay Blah in this motherfucker
Brooklyn in this motherfucker, Dirt Dog in this motherfucker, it's on point
The song is set in the city of East New York, and Ol' Dirty Bastard asserts that he, Blahzay Blah, and Dirt Dog, all hailing from Brooklyn, are all present and ready to take on this track together.
Come on baby let me you jump, let me see you body rhythm pump
Come on baby let me see you go, let me see you, like go, go, go
The hook of the song is an invitation to the listener to move their body to the rhythm of the music, encouraging them to jump and dance with the energy of the beat.
Aiyo, my timin' is so precise, gangsta all my life
I don't get robbed, I control the heist
Cold as ice, still nothing, this whole device
Life's a gamble, so I roll the dice
Blah Bloomberg asserts his gangsta status, claiming to have never been robbed because he's always in control of the situation. He likens life to a gamble and takes a chance at every opportunity, confidently believing in his own skills and timing.
I camed up, still I'm up and coming
Auto start, put on my sneaks, truck is running
Bad broads, that's beyond Beyonce
Eatin' on my body like a dinner entree
Although Blah has already seen some success, he still considers himself up-and-coming in the music industry. He gets ready for each day with quick efficiency, dressing and leaving the house with ease. He boasts about his ability to attract women who are even more beautiful than Beyonce, and they devour him like a delicious dinner.
What ya'll critics gonna say, don't even risk it
Forget Pillsbury, eat this Blah Blah biscuit
Ya'll watered down the game, man, like bar liquor
It's nothin' for me, I just buy the bar quicker
Blah warns critics against criticizing his music and implies that they're sacrificing the chance to enjoy something great. He compares the blandness of Pillsbury biscuits to his own unique sound, criticizing other artists for making the game less interesting, like watered-down liquor. Blah, on the other hand, has no issue with buying out the entire bar tab, indicating his success and willingness to spend money.
Oh my God, nigga, I'm in the house, and I'm rowdy
He been doin' this since five thousand on an Audi
Remember "Danger!" Yo, ya'll know Blah
This is grown under water, ya'll ain't even in my sonar
Blah is excited about his current success, feeling himself as an artist in the game, and reminiscing about when he first started with just five thousand dollars for a car. He reminds listeners of his hit song "Danger!" He feels like other artists are beneath him and out of his field, like they're a blip on the radar that he's not interested in.
The east is in the house like (danger)
About to, turn it out like "Oh My God" (danger)
Put the barrel in your mouth like (danger)
I see the dipper through a blouse, it's "Oh My God" (danger)
Me and Dirty on the floor like (danger)
Me and Dirty pimpin' ho's like "Oh My God"
The chorus is a call-out to the energy and excitement of the East Coast hip-hop scene, likening it to danger and excitement. The references to Dirty and Blah pimpin' ho's speaks to their success and power as artists.
So then you act like you love my little baby
And you know that I act a little crazy
ODB talks about someone acting like they love his "baby," likely a term of endearment for something he cares about deeply. He acknowledges that he acts a little crazy, perhaps reflecting on his own chaotic nature as an artist.
I'm on the streets lingo, spendin' the spingo
Eazy-E lingo, doin' the dango, the vet' don't wear Kangol
I dare pump my shit, at the club, actin' strange, yo
Smack ya'll niggaz in the face, yo
ODB talks about speaking the language of the streets and spending money (spingo) to show for it. He references fellow rapper Eazy-E and his unique style, doing his own dance (dango) and breaking fashion norms by eschewing the Kangol hat. He dares anyone to pump their own music in his presence, warning that he may use physical force as a deterrent.
Got wiggas in the place, yo, block party in this motherfucker
I'm the only round actin' like sucka, sucka bitch ass pucker
So don't play this motherfucker, or watch you bird clucker
So don't let yourself break yourself
With the sip and tumble, that will take yourself
I move with that heat that smoke you in your head, man
The shit war, time to take, man, take man
ODB describes the atmosphere of the block party, including white people (wiggas) in attendance. He may feel out of place in this environment, but he warns others not to play games around him or risk injury. He also warns people against self-destruction through drug and alcohol use, stating that he moves with heat that can smoke people in their heads. Lastly, he hints at a shift towards a more aggressive and serious mode in the rap game.
East/West beef is over, gettin' money all over
Set up shop in Cali, then one in deli Dover
Music, or sellin' crack by the Grove
I ain't talkin' about dick, but I'mma stock it to hoes
Blah mentions the end of the East/West Coast rap beef, and focuses on his business ventures in both California and Delaware. He emphasizes that he wants to make money, whether through music or drug sales, and jokes about stocking things to "hoes" without referring to anything explicitly sexual.
I'm not gonna grow, I'm the type to explode
Hit this song to walk back in it, then it's gon' be white gold
Eatin' wild timing, ya'll know it's my title
I burn more bushes than Moses in the Bible
Blah refuses to grow as an artist, instead aiming to reach a level of explosive success. He hopes this song will put him on the map and reach commercial success. He plays with the phrase "eating wild oats," instead saying "eating wild timing," which he considers his slogan. Lastly, he suggests that he has a destructive influence, having burnt down bushes like Moses from the Bible.
But hates gon' Holly, pimpin's gon' Broadway
So many pimps, broads don't know who to pay
But ya'll better have my dough
Come on baby, just go go go
Yo, I once was lost, but now I flaunt
2004 Porsche, all you haters get off
I will board-to-the-board, the-hang-the-hang
Down to the ground, to the ground, they bang, they bang
Blah acknowledges the darker side of the music industry, with hate pervading and pimping taking on the form of a Broadway show. He notes the prevalence of pimps, leading to confusion among prostitutes. He also says that he expects to be paid what he's owed. Finally, he celebrates his success, flaunting his 2004 Porsche and ending the song on a highly energetic note.
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.