Exploring Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s Complex Mind: A Tale of Two Dirtys

The complex mind of Ol’ Dirty Bastard is explored in “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys,” the first official documentary of the late Wu-Tang Clan member presented by A&E.

A special screening of the documentary, showcased in partnership with Tribeca Membership and XXL, took place on Wednesday evening (Aug. 14) at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas in New York City. This event permitted viewers to see the human side of the often-troubled rap star. ODB’s wife Icelene Jones, his sons Bar-Sun Jones and Weather Park, daughter Taniqua Jones, and the documentary’s co-directors Sam Pollard and Jason Pollard were in attendance.

“Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys” includes never-before-seen footage filmed by Icelene, who captured decades of intimate moments with the famed rapper as a husband and father. In addition to conversations with Icelene, Bar-Sun, Taniqua, ODB’s own father and other family members, this definitive documentary features Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, Dame Dash, singer Mariah Carey, ODB’s former A&R Dante Ross and music executive Steve Rifkind, among others.

ODB’s rap career as a founding member of Wu-Tang, his solo career, and the release of his first album, “Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version,” in 1995 are key focal points. It also covers the ups and downs of his personal and professional life, including his long-running battle with substance abuse. Early acclaim for Wu-Tang’s 1993 debut track “Protect Ya Neck,” vintage footage of ODB rapping on The Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito Show from the 1990s, and performances that impressed audiences, such as Busta Rhymes, highlight ODB’s lyrical talents in the documentary.

Archived audio footage from past interviews and conversations with Ol’ Dirty Bastard provide another layer to the rapper behind the rhymes. While the music industry knew him as ODB, he was also known as Ason Unique to his family and friends – a name given to him as a member of the Five Percent Nation. “When he was Unique, he was much more scholarly,” said Ramsey Jones, ODB’s brother, regarding the rhymer’s Five Percent Nation studies. “It was like two different personalities.” ODB connected the two in his rhymes, as seen in “Brooklyn Zoo”: “Ason, I keep planets in orbit/While I be coming with deeper and more sh*t.”

As the title suggests, “A Tale of Two Dirtys” shows how ODB had to navigate between his two worlds: Ason the man and ODB the rapper. “He’s like Incredible Hulk,” ODB says in the film, describing himself as the artist. “When he comes, he’s like a superhero. He comes to entertain. He puts spirit in people.”

“Dirty was the soul of the group,” Ghostface Killah adds in the documentary, produced by Pulse Films, Four Screens, and the Ol’ Dirty Bastard Estate in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment. “When he left, it was a big loss for us.”

Rap fans will appreciate the many gems offered about the Brooklyn MC’s life. Mariah Carey details how ODB recorded his verse for her hit song “Fantasy,” describing fond memories from their time filming the music video. Steve Rifkind recalls ODB asking him, “Am I gonna get in trouble?” after he bum-rushed the 1998 Grammy Awards stage to proclaim “Wu-Tang is for the children.” Rifkind reassured him, “You’re probably gonna be a star for the next 24 hours.”

Turbulent moments, including arrests, getting shot, and his mental health and drug use, show the darker side of ODB’s life. Icelene confirms he would use weed mixed with cocaine, which eventually turned into mixing weed and crack cocaine. His mental health seemed to deteriorate during his final incarceration before his death.

On Nov. 13, 2004, Ol’ Dirty Bastard died of a drug overdose in a New York recording studio at the age of 35. The final moments of his life are depicted in the film. Bar-Sun, ODB’s son, and rapper, was with his father the night he died. “I guess I was ready to fight everybody ’cause he was the only one laying on the floor, and nobody was there to pick him up,” Bar-Sun recalls of the traumatic moments surrounding ODB’s death.

Humanizing the man behind the music is what “Tale of Two Dirtys” does well. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s days were cut short, but his words and wisdom live on through this well-crafted storytelling. “I’m pushing real hard to keep the legacy going every day,” Icelene says in the closing scenes of the documentary.

Following the screening, Icelene, Bar-Sun, and co-directors Sam Pollard and Jason Pollard participated in a panel discussion about the film, moderated by XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten.

“We all know Dirty—the personality, the antics, the wild things he did onstage at the Grammys, etcetera,” Jason Pollard said. “But I think the goal is that we wanted to show a different side of this person. We wanted to show the family man. We wanted to show the guy who actually had a plan, a conception of what he wanted to be as an artist, what he wanted to do with his music, and what he wanted his legacy to be.”

Icelene explained how she became an amateur videographer over the years, thanks to a present from ODB. “He bought me a camcorder,” she said during the panel. “He tried to give me something to do. He’s like, ‘Here, do this,’ you know? Because I’m like, ‘I don’t have anything to do. I’m at home with the children all day, and I wanna go places, and I wanna do things.’ He said, ‘Here, here go the camcorder.’ Because I like taking pictures. That was something that I liked doing. So, he was just helping me with something that I liked to do. Then I just used it and started videotaping everything that I was around. Everybody, every party, every get-together, just going to the store, outside, riding bikes. I just started videotaping, not knowing that it would lead to a documentary about him, the person who bought me the camcorder.”

After years of ODB’s estate attempting to get a documentary greenlit, Bar-Sun expressed joy in finally having a platform for “A Tale of Two Dirtys.” “A&E, I’m proud that they could even work with us,” Bar-Sun shared. “It’s a blessing. The contribution—to put a Black family out like that, to tell the truth on it. His story was held back even when he was incarcerated. Now, it’s time to realize what an individual he was, a prospect he was. A soul. He was the soul of the group, believe it or not. And that’s what you just seen, and they seen.”

A&E presents “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys” premieres Sunday, August 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on A&E.

Source: A&E, Tribeca Membership, XXL