Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys
Directed by: Sam Pollard & Jason Pollard
Featuring Icelene Jones, Bar-Sun Jones (aka Young Dirty Bastard), RZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah, Mariah Carey
Rated TV-14
Runtime: 1 hour and 26 minutes
Premieres on A&E Network on August 25

by Jenika McCrayer, Staff Writer

I want to preface this review by admitting I’m Not From Around Here. I was born in southeast Virginia, raised by Missy Elliott and N.E.R.D, and spent summers at my aunt’s house where she banned BET for “glorifying guns and gangs.” My older sister had to buy me rap albums secretly because my parents were not convinced by Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s assertion that “Wu-Tang is for the children.”

And although I spent almost a decade in Brooklyn near where ODB–born Russell Jones–grew up, I don’t know much about the man behind the outlandish persona and the antics that caused media frenzies and scared the record label suits. I was eager to learn more about Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s life and legacy, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys thankfully did not disappoint.

The documentary delves into the transformation of Russell Jones, also known as Ason Unique, into the iconic Ol’ Dirty Bastard and the formation of the Wu-Tang Clan. It briefly introduces New York City’s chaos in the late sixties, which ODB was born into, and covers his entire life and career. The film easily breezes through his upbringing, rise to fame, and notorious antics while allowing the more poignant moments to resonate within the tight runtime.

His music career was not the main focus of this film, and it doesn’t go into much depth about his creative process or influences other than the 70s Kung Fu flicks that inspired his name and Wu-Tang’s presence. But I don’t view this as a negative. Instead of delving into his unique flow, lyrical prowess, or erratic creative process that most of us have encountered, it focuses more on who he was as a man and the roles he filled as ODB, Ason Unique, and Russell Jones. ODB’s wife, Icelene Jones generously shared never-before-seen footage of the late rapper, significantly humanizing him and revealing an unfiltered look at his life and legacy.

The interviews, at times raw and deeply emotional, are the film’s highlight and provide a balanced and nuanced glimpse into ODB’s inner turmoil. It’s hard to fathom that my neighborhood is the same Brooklyn Zoo where ODB was molded. Still, I’ve always enjoyed listening to older, native New Yorkers reminisce about the burgeoning hip-hop scene and a time when someone like ODB—someone who came up from nothing and gleefully spat in the face of respectability politics— could be catapulted to stardom. His struggles with drug addiction and their impact on those around him are handled with extreme care and compassion. Honestly, no one held back—everyone delivered a no-bullshit candidness with a New York attitude befitting the irreverent artist. Interviews from people closest to him and who knew him best shine a new light on his most notorious escapades that became urban legends in their own right, like the infamous food stamps incident, interrupting Shawn Colvin’s Grammy speech, and performing at the Hammerstein Ballroom while on the run as a fugitive.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys is a raw, authentic, and loving dedication to a unique artist who left an indelible mark on music and culture in a short time. Whether you're a long-time fan of Wu-Tang Clan or new to ODB's work like myself, this documentary offers a thought-provoking and in-depth look into the hip-hop legend.