Russell Jones, aka The Ol' Dirty Bastard, aka Ason Unique, aka Osirus, aka Big Baby Jesus, aka Dirt McGirt, aka Joe Bananas, aka Ol' Dirt Schultz. Always for the children.

November 13, 2009 10:40 AM

Five years ago today Russell, also known as The Ol' Dirty Bastard, passed away in a recording studio in New York City while finishing what was to be his final album. [prev] He is remembered by those close to him.

The surviving members of the Wu Tang Clan got together to record memorial tracks as a group, individually and in their live shows; Wu-related groups Brooklyn Zu and Black Knights, and non-Wu Tang musicians, like Buckethead and DJ Noize.

Lately, Ason's long-time friend Dante Ross has been offering up some memories of the God, such as the time Dirty was pissed at LL Cool J, and this week's 1 2 3 part series at the Brooklyn Zoo.

Remeber when he interrupted the Grammys? Or when he preformed at a Wu show after escaping from police custody? Or when he rescued that little girl? Or when he took MTV cameras, in a limo, to pick up his welfare check, while he had the #1 album in the country and was covered in gold chains (which Viacom is apparently keeping off the net)?

A biopic is in the works according to his cousin (who says lots of weird things, so we'll see.)

Rest In Power, Ason. Unique for sure.

posted by paisley henosis (46 comments total)

Tons and tons more videos on YouTube.
posted by paisley henosis at 10:41 AM on November 13

God made Dirty and Dirty bust ya ass.

.
posted by box at 10:47 AM on November 13

In celebration of his life and remembrance of his death, tonight I'm gonna dance like I'm caught up in the Holy Ghost trance. I would hate for the spirit of Dirt McGirt to come back and put them killer ants in my pants.

Rest in peace Big Baby Jesus.
posted by friendlyjuan at 10:53 AM on November 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

wow, five years already?

Live in San Bernadino, 2004
posted by dubold at 10:57 AM on November 13

A lot of people remember him only as a clown, but he was also an incredible performer, and a very troubled guy. It's a real shame that his handlers were willing to make a sideshow of him instead of getting him the help that he needed in order to stay afloat.

RIP Dirt Dog. The game ain't the same without you.
posted by orville sash at 11:00 AM on November 13

ODB's allmusic profile is a breathless and unbelievable read, my favorite on the site.
posted by Item at 11:05 AM on November 13 [4 favorites has favorites]

Just for kicks

RZA and ODB at a talent show, before the release of the first wu-tang album, performing the song that ended up as "Don't U Know" on Return to the 36 Chambers.
posted by orville sash at 11:06 AM on November 13

God made Dirty and Dirty bust ya ass.

For the sake of clarification:

I think the lyric is "God made dirt and dirt bust ya ass." It's a play on "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt." He's invoking Dirt McGirt, one of his many aliases.

Ok, I'm done now. I just really miss the guy. Seriously.
posted by orville sash at 11:08 AM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

Now I love ODB, and I love Buckethead, but that video is cringe-inducing.
posted by mannequito at 11:13 AM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

He was too big too live and too crazy to, well, I guess not die. His greatest and most pleasurable talent was spectacle. Woo Tang is for the childen.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:14 AM on November 13

Easy on my balls baby, they're fragile as eggs.
posted by Divine_Wino at 11:17 AM on November 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

Didn't he request to be known as Big Baby Jesus?
posted by jefficator at 11:18 AM on November 13

Ason's long-time friend Dante Ross has been offering up some memories of the God

but ...if God made Dirt .... but ...... *head explodes*
posted by mannequito at 11:18 AM on November 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

I've been planning a memorial podcast for a while, my original idea was to run through "Return to The 36 Chambers" and try to get as drunk and stoned as he gets on the album, but I don't want anyone to be doing my five year memorium anytime soon so I think I'm gonna tone it down a bit...
posted by rollbiz at 11:18 AM on November 13

May he rest in peace

.
posted by Copronymus at 11:20 AM on November 13

In the immortal words of ODB:

I want a girl that help me take my medication // So I don't end up at the police station // I don't wanna go back to the police station // They tried to send Dirt on a long vacation

or alternately: Old man McGirt, lookin under your skirt // Fuck a pussy til it's orange, like Ernie and Bert
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 11:23 AM on November 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

I love ODB and Wu Tang forever.
posted by Damn That Television at 11:28 AM on November 13

Just look at him.

Just look at his disposition.
posted by Greg Nog at 11:35 AM on November 13

RIP, ODB. I miss your Sour Cream & Onion potato chips.
posted by Jinkeez at 11:36 AM on November 13

Unfortunately, the Old Dirty Bastard couldn't be here today, but he sends his regards...
posted by electroboy at 11:44 AM on November 13

The title is amazing.
posted by cashman at 11:46 AM on November 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

Hmm... dunno why that link didn't come through.
posted by electroboy at 12:02 PM on November 13

I've always thought "Snakes" was a good counterpoint to his goofy stuff.

On the other hand, his remake of "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" with Macy Gray is one of the more awesomely hilarious musical moments in recent history.
posted by rollbiz at 12:07 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

Harmony Korine's story of first meeting ODB is still the best. Kanye is amateur hour. ODB wouldn't apologize for interrupting Taylor Swift's award he'd preach incoherently for 5 minutes and as he's being dragged away tell Taylor he wants to "put a baby in that ass."
posted by geoff. at 12:09 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

I've always thought "Snakes" was a good counterpoint to his goofy stuff.

Really? He barely even rhymes on that song.
Peep his verse:

Bad, bad, Leroy Brown
Baddest man in the whole damn town
Badder than the deep blue seaaaaa
Badder than you and meeeeee
Niggaz comin thru the trees, like a salamander, bitin
Like a piranha, but I'm bitin you back, like a black pantha
The style I'm ampin the... fuck my name, who I be?
Fuck the game, it's all about the moneyyyy!
Owahhaerahh, sometimes I get high with the Meth
Then I turn to the Killah Priest
When it comes TWELVE O'CLOCK!!
I turn into the demon beast, yo

A great song, an UNBELIEVABLE beat, but hardly ODB's finest hour. For my money, that's probably "Cuttin' Headz"
posted by orville sash at 12:17 PM on November 13

I'll give you that, orville, but to be fair you did pick the weakest rhyme...But anyway my argument wasn't that it was his best work but that it's an example of the fact that he did work with more serious subject matter...
posted by rollbiz at 12:23 PM on November 13

Does anybody know what form of "welfare" ODB was supposedly eligible for?
posted by edheil at 12:23 PM on November 13

I'll give you that, orville, but to be fair you did pick the weakest rhyme

He "picked" ODB's verse. The previous verses are not delivered by him.
posted by axiom at 1:03 PM on November 13

Yup, you're both right. Sorry, long afternoon...
posted by rollbiz at 1:10 PM on November 13

Although "Ason Jones" from the new Raekwon album is pretty good, I prefer Method Man's tribute from the same album's "House of Flying Daggers:"

Got a whole line of classic joints, and while you at it
Pass the joint, let's push this music past the point
Of no return, til they crash and burn, down the ashes
Then placed inside Ol' Dirty Bastard's urn
When it's my time to go, for sure, ya nigga goes to war
What you think I brought these soldiers for?
posted by Rangeboy at 1:13 PM on November 13

The differences between this thread and the 2004 obit thread that you linked to are interesting.
posted by ageispolis at 1:58 PM on November 13

RIP Ol' Dirty Chinese Restaurant
posted by porn in the woods at 2:11 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

I miss ODB.

Vh1 documentary made shortly before his death.
posted by joedan at 2:13 PM on November 13

I remembered how much I miss him again back in the spring, when the N.A.S.A. album came out. Needless to say I wasn't expecting to hear him on anything new, and so I was shocked to hear his crazy ass at the opening of "Strange Enough". It brought back memories of knowing he had new shit coming out and having absolutely no idea what he was going to do with it, because it was possible to get a brilliant verse or two minutes of him babbling about burgers and making throat sounds...
posted by rollbiz at 2:39 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

The song in the "as a group" link is actually abridged. The real song, which I'm listening to right now, is about twice as long and really pretty moving. As for ODB himself, well,

I kill all the government microchips in my body;
I'm that paranoid nigga at ya party;
I kill all my enemies at birth;
Shut the fuck up bitch and let me stick my hands up your skirt

The world is less interesting without him and that's sad. No irony there and no judgment.
posted by Nomiconic at 3:02 PM on November 13

Jesus, I’m rollin wit you.
posted by ijoshua at 3:21 PM on November 13

The ODB couldn't have possibly committed all those crimes.
Coolio did some of that shit.
posted by Spatch at 4:14 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

Owahhaerahh, sometimes I get high with the Meth

my theory is, several centuries from now, ODB will be regarded as a mythical poet who managed to double the English language during his time, a la Shakespeare.
posted by mannequito at 4:30 PM on November 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

Remember that time when he showed up at the wrong recording studio in the wrong city and ended up doing a guest spot on the hottest song that year?
posted by cazoo at 4:45 PM on November 13

My favourite line: "If I got a problem, a problem got a problem 'til it's gone."

.
posted by louigi at 4:59 PM on November 13 [3 favorites has favorites]

ODB on Jon Stewart (1995)
posted by ageispolis at 6:27 PM on November 13

I don't know much about this man except that Erykah Badu's song "Telephone" is about him, and that's a lovely song.

Karen Silkwood died 25 years ago today.
posted by goofyfoot at 12:05 AM on November 14

Didn't he request to be known as Big Baby Jesus?

Yes. He requested to be known as a lot of things. From Wikipedia:

• Ol' Dirty Bastard
• Big Baby Jesus
• Sweet Baby Jesus
• Dirt McGirt
• Dirt Dog
• Russell Jones
• Osirus
• Osiris the Father
• Joe Bananas
• Ol' Dirt Schultz
• Hasaan
• Ill Irving the Murderer
• The BZA
• The Drunken Master Styles
• Ason Jones
• Ason Unique
• Rain Man

posted by Flunkie at 8:46 AM on November 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

ODB drunk freestyle
posted by Flunkie at 8:49 AM on November 14

My ODB Tribute (Self link, obviously)...I've never done a podcast like this, so don't expect too much. I extensively used materials that were linked here, so thank you all!
posted by rollbiz at 2:27 PM on November 16

And here is where I argue for comment editing, because I borked that link hard. My ODB tribute is here.
posted by rollbiz at 5:33 PM on November 16