The Definitive Ol' Dirty Bastard Story [PA]

Performer: Ol' Dirty Bastard
Producer: Johnny "D" DeMario (Compilation)
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Ol' Dirty Bastard (rap vocals). Additional personnel: Kelis, Mariah Carey (vocals); Lil' Mo, Prakazrel "Pras" Michel (rap vocals); Mya. By 2005, the number of Ol' Dirty Bastard compilations almost outnumbered his official studio releases, building the already larger-than-life myth of the late hip-hop legend. THE DEFINITIVE OL' DIRTY BASTARD STORY is comprehensive enough to put the kibosh on further milking of the former Wu-Tanger's name. A double-disc set (the second of which is a DVD containing videos and an interview), THE DEFINITIVE brings together the brightest moments from ODB's two solo releases (RETURN TO THE 36 CHAMBERS: THE DIRTY STORY and NIGGA PLEASE), and adds single versions, B-sides, Pras's "Ghetto Supastar" (with a prominent ODB cameo), and a remix of the Mariah Carey/ODB duet "Fantasy." ODB's flair for drama, drugs, and endless legal complications sometimes overshadowed his talents as a rapper, which is a shame. At his sharpest, he unfurled a surreal style blending comedy, street-thug menace, verbal playfulness, and vocal gymnastics in an utterly imaginative way. Hip-hop heads will want to own the individual albums, but THE DEFINITIVE's mix of essential album tracks, bonus features, and a well annotated booklet full of photos and shout-outs from his Wu-Tang brethren offers a superb overview of this wild, sui generis rapper.

Spin (p.98) - "The Ol' Dirty signature is that tremble in his flow - a seizure vibrato that he deploys like a trumpeter and that sounds as if he's about to explode..." - Grade: B+

Old Dirty Bastard (aka Dirt McGirt, Big Baby Jesus, Osirus, and the ODB) is one of the most outrageous and beloved figures in hip-hop history. As a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, ODB was instrumental in that outfit's unique identity, offering a bizarre, often humorous antidote to the Wu's hardcore lyrical sword play. As a solo artist, however, Dirty took his vision to a whole new level, utilizing his own howling version of a croon on songs as much as his already unique flow. Sadly, his volatile personality and a hefty drug habit led to numerous run-ins with the law, and eventually his death from an overdose in 2004.

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