85-574: ODB may refer to: People [ edit ] Ol' Dirty Bastard (1968–2004), American rapper and founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan ODB (wrestler) (born 1978), Stage name of American professional wrestler Jessica Kresa Original David Baker (born 1972), a moniker of American poker player David Baker Computers and technology [ edit ] .odb file extension for OpenDocument format databases Object database ODB++ ,
170-519: A Stylus magazine review, writer Gavin Mueller evokes the bleakness of the Wu-Tang world view : The lyrics reach back to New York's own Rakim : dense battle rhymes potent with metaphors. Each Wu MC links his rhymes to crime and violence, allowing his preoccupations to surface subtly and indirectly, rather than spouting off overt gangsta-isms designed to shock ... The hood imagery of the lyrics
255-548: 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 his girlfriend's house in Brooklyn, he was arrested for shoplifting a pair of $ 50 shoes from a Sneaker Stadium store in Virginia Beach, Virginia , although he was carrying close to $ 500 in cash at the time. He was issued bench warrants by
340-591: A shootout with the New York City Police Department , and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act investigation against the Wu-Tang Clan. Leading up to his death, Jones' legal troubles and eccentric behavior made him "something of a folk hero", according to The New Yorker writer Michael Agger. Music writer Steve Huey wrote: "it was difficult for observers to tell whether Ol' Dirty Bastard's wildly erratic behavior
425-507: A CAD-to-CAM data exchange format used in the design and manufacture of electronic devices Publications [ edit ] Our Daily Bread (devotional) , Christian devotional booklets produced by Our Daily Bread Ministries Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium , a three volume historical dictionary published by Oxford University Press Other uses [ edit ] ODB, the IATA airport code of Córdoba Airport Topics referred to by
510-616: A blend of " Eastern philosophy picked up from kung fu movies , watered-down Five-Percent Nation preaching picked up on the New York streets, and comic books." Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was recorded at Firehouse Studio in New York City . The album was produced, mixed, arranged, and programmed by RZA, and was mastered at The Hit Factory in New York City by Chris Gehringer. Because of an extremely limited budget,
595-400: 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 first and second-degree burns . Using a false name , Ol' Dirty Bastard visited the girl in the hospital frequently until he
680-415: A court-ordered probation , he used his criminal record to title his VH1 special, Inside Out: Ol' Dirty Bastard on Parole . He also managed to record his third album A Son Unique , which was originally scheduled to be released through Dame Dash Music Group in 2004; as of 2020, however, the album has never been released in physical form. In October 2004, one month before his death, his last collaboration
765-422: A crowd while signing autographs. He spent several days in a Philadelphia jail and was later extradited to New York City. A Manhattan court sentenced him to two to four years incarceration. He was released on parole on May 1, 2003. In 2012, his FBI file was released to the public after a Freedom of Information Act request. It contains details of numerous crimes, such as alleged connections to three murders,
850-547: A few months, the reigning fave is the Wu-Tang Clan, who are to the channel what Guns N' Roses are to MTV." Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was received positively by contemporary critics. In an article for The Source , The Ghetto Communicator wrote "This record is harsh, but so is the world that we live in. For B-boys n'girls who come from the core of the hard, this is the hip-hop album you've been waiting for". Entertainment Weekly said, "With its rumble jumble of drumbeats, peppered with occasional piano plunking, Enter has
935-490: A fugitive. During his time on the run, he met with RZA and spent some time in their recording studio. He then appeared onstage at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York drinking from a bottle at the record release party for The W , the third Wu-Tang Clan album. In late November 2000, while still a fugitive, he was arrested outside a South Philadelphia McDonald's (at 29th and Gray's Ferry Ave.), after he drew
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#17327758782151020-534: A group of underground terrorists." Enter the Wu-Tang ushered in a new standard for hip hop at a time when hip hop music was dominated by the jazz-influenced styles of A Tribe Called Quest , the Afrocentric viewpoints of Public Enemy , and the rising popularity of West Coast gangsta rap . The album's explicit, humorous and free-associative lyrics have been credited for serving as a template for many subsequent hip hop records. Rolling Stone described
1105-424: A hip-hop group can control its own destiny in the tangled web of the industry. It owns publishing rights, controls its samples and has 90% influence over its career. And that control, that outlook for the future, is what makes it the best." Wu-Tang Clan have released seven subsequent group albums since Enter the Wu-Tang , including Wu-Tang Forever (1997), which is certified as a quadruple platinum record. None of
1190-637: A major label, but caught the attention of the New York City rap scene and was recognized by rapper Biz Markie . By 1991, The Genius and Prince Rakeem were signed to separate record labels. The Genius released Words from the Genius (1991) on Cold Chillin' Records and Prince Rakeem released Ooh I Love You Rakeem (1991) on Tommy Boy Records . Both were soon dropped by their labels. Embittered but unbowed, they refocused their efforts and on new monikers; The Genius became GZA (pronounced "jizza"), while Prince Rakeem became RZA (pronounced "rizza"). RZA discussed
1275-486: A producer and former member of Little Brother , is one of many whose vocal sampling styles are inspired by RZA. The album's reliance on soul music samples was novel at the time, but 21st-century producers such as The Alchemist , Kanye West , and Just Blaze now rely on this technique. According to Allmusic, the production on two Mobb Deep albums, The Infamous (1995) and Hell on Earth (1996), are "indebted" to RZA's early production with Wu-Tang Clan. In addition,
1360-573: A raw, pass-the-mike flavor we haven't heard since rap was pop's best-kept secret." Touré was less enthusiastic in Rolling Stone , praising the album's sound, but noting that "Wu-Tang ... are more ciphers than masterful creations. In refusing to commodify themselves, they leave blank the ultimate canvas—the self." He added, "This is hip-hop you won't find creeping up the Billboard charts but you will hear booming out of Jeep stereos in all
1445-458: A solo artist beginning with Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995). He was noted for his "outrageously profane, free-associative rhymes delivered in a distinctive half-rapped, half-sung style". His professional success was hampered by frequent legal troubles, including incarceration . He died on November 13, 2004, of an accidental drug overdose, at age 35. He is the father of rapper Young Dirty Bastard . Russell Tyrone Jones
1530-603: A template for many subsequent rap records. Serving as a landmark release in the era of hip-hop known as the East Coast Renaissance , its influence helped lead the way for several other East Coast rappers, including Nas , The Notorious B.I.G. , Mobb Deep , and Jay-Z . Despite its raw, underground sound, the album had surprising chart success, peaking at number 41 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 30,000 copies in its first week on sale. By 1995, it
1615-422: A truly twisted sense of humor." With the exception of "Method Man" and GZA's "Clan in da Front", every song features multiple rappers contributing verses of varying lengths. The verses are essentially battle rhymes, mixed with humor and outsized tales of urban violence and drug use. There is some debate about whether the lyrics on 36 Chambers are properly classified as gangsta rap or something else entirely. In
1700-467: Is co-credited for "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit", critics and admirers universally credit RZA with developing what Pitchfork called a "dusty yet digital production style [that] helped legitimize the use of more diverse sample sources to the hardcore New York rap massive, breaking away from James Brown based beats and embracing a style that turned the Underdog theme into the menacing coda for
1785-430: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ol%27 Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), better known by his stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB ), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan , which formed in 1992. Jones also released music as
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#17327758782151870-518: Is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. Okay? I want you all to know that this is ODB, and I love you all. Peace!" The incident was widely covered in the media. The morning after the Grammy Awards, he appeared on The Howard Stern Show , to discuss the incident. In 1999, Ol' Dirty Bastard wrote and recorded his second studio album, Nigga Please , between jail sentences. The album received notable commercial success, although it failed to parallel
1955-430: Is utterly pervasive and uncompromising, immersing the listener in a foreign land smack in the middle of New York. There is no celebration here, and little hope. All nine original Wu-Tang Clan members contribute vocals on Enter the Wu-Tang . Masta Killa only appears on one track, contributing the last verse of "Da Mystery of Chessboxin ' ", but all the other rappers appear on at least two songs. Method Man and Raekwon are
2040-860: The Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart. The single topped the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. Wu-Tang's "Can It Be All So Simple", featuring Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, was the album's third single. The single failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but reached number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart in 1994. A remix of the song was included on Raekwon's debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995). Wu-Tang made music videos for
2125-866: The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". In the late 1980s, cousins Robert Diggs , Gary Grice , and Russell Jones formed a group named Force of the Imperial Master, also known as the All in Together Now Crew . Each member recorded under an alias: Grice as The Genius, Diggs as Prince Rakeem or The Scientist, and Jones as The Specialist. The group never signed to
2210-547: The A-side . The single was re-released in a much larger pressing, with "Method Man" as the B-side . " C.R.E.A.M. ", featuring Raekwon and Inspectah Deck , was the second single from the album, and the first new A-side to be released after the group signed with Loud/RCA. The lyrics deal with the struggle of poverty, and the desire to earn money by any means. It was the Wu-Tang Clan's most successful single, reaching number 60 on
2295-547: The Five Percent philosophy, known to adherents as the Supreme Mathematics, which attaches the number 9 with the meaning "to bring into existence". Because the Wu-Tang Clan was made of nine members, each of whom has four chambers of the heart, the album was subtitled "36 Chambers", being the total of the nine hearts of the members. In reference to the 1978 kung fu film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin that
2380-549: The "100 Best Rap Singles". MTV declared it among "The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time", while Blender named the album among the "500 CDs You Must Own". Jon Caramanica, contributing author to Classic Material: The Hip-Hop Album Guide described it "as timeless an album as hip-hop has ever seen." Publications based outside of the United States have acclaimed 36 Chambers as well; Australia's Juice magazine placed it at number 40 on its list of "100 Greatest Albums of
2465-402: The '90s", and Les Inrockuptibles ranked it number 59 on a list of "The 100 Best Albums 1986–1996". In naming Enter the Wu-Tang one of the 50 best albums of the 1990s , Pitchfork Media staff member Rollie Pemberton summed up the album's critical recognition by writing: This is the sound of accidental fame. Something as unique and unusual as this record isn't supposed to find itself at
2550-479: The 2004 compilation album, Legend of the Wu-Tang Clan . "Tearz" tells two stories: RZA's little brother getting shot and Ghostface Killah recounting the story of a man who contracts HIV after having unprotected sex. The singles were independently released as, "Protect Ya Neck"/"After the Laughter Comes Tears", which RZA financed by demanding $ 100 ( USD ) from each rapper who wanted a verse on
2635-508: The 9 members are to be considered as 36 deadly lyrical techniques for pressure points. All of this is the basis for the album title, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , being that 9 members x 4 chambers = 36. However, this is just a theory; the true significance of the title is not definitively known. The first part of the title is taken from the 1973 film Enter the Dragon and aforementioned Shaolin and Wu Tang . The album's front cover image
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2720-605: The East Coast hip hop scene. According to one columnist, "When Enter the Wu-Tang: The 36 Chambers first graced the pages of rap lore in 1993, Dr. Dre 's funk-filled, West Coast gangster rap dominated the business. Though this initial dominance was difficult to overcome, Wu-Tang still managed to carve out a piece of rap history." RZA's production on Enter the Wu-Tang had a profound and significant influence on subsequent hip hop producers. The distinctive sound of Enter
2805-592: The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Department to stand trial after he failed to appear in court numerous times. He was arrested for criminal threatening after a series of confrontations in Los Angeles a few weeks later, and was then re-arrested for similar charges not long after that. During a 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
2890-560: The Wu-Tang became one of the most highly regarded albums in hip hop. The album was originally given a rating of 4.5 mics out of 5 in The Source magazine in 1994; however, it was given a classic 5 mic rating in a later issue of the magazine. Similar to The Source , XXL magazine gave the album a classic rating of "XXL" in its retrospective 2007 issue. In the book Spin Alternative Record Guide (1995), Enter
2975-435: The Wu-Tang has been credited with creating a blueprint for hardcore hip hop in the mid-1990s. Blackfilm.com asserts that Enter the Wu-Tang' s production formula "transformed the sound of underground rap into mainstream formula, and virtually changed the face of contemporary music as popsters once knew it." Many successful rap producers have admitted to the influence of RZA's beats on their own production efforts. 9th Wonder ,
3060-452: The Wu-Tang participated in both the tour and reunion album, excepting Ol' Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004. All tracks written by Wu-Tang Clan and produced by RZA , except where noted. All scratches by 4th Disciple . Tracks 1 through 5 are referred to as "Shaolin Sword" while tracks 6 through 12 are referred to as "Wu-Tang Sword" on physical releases. The vinyl and cassette track listing
3145-483: The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) has a critical rating of 8/10 from Spin . In 2003, Rolling Stone named the album among the " 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ", asserting that "East-coast hip-hop made a return in 1993." The magazine later listed it as one of the "Essential Albums of the 90s" and "100 Best Debut Albums of All Time." The Source cited Enter the Wu-Tang as one of the "100 Best Rap Albums", while also naming "Protect Ya Neck/Method Man" and "C.R.E.A.M." among
3230-506: The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Adam Heimlich of the New York Press considers the album a touchstone of hardcore hip hop , a gritty, stripped-down, dark and violent subgenre of hip hop and
3315-424: The Wu-Tang Clan "grander" and "goofier" than their West Coast contemporaries and concluded, "Expect the masterwork this album's reputation suggests and you'll probably be disappointed—it will speak directly only to indigenous hip hoppers. Expect a glorious human mess, as opposed to the ominous platinum product of their opposite numbers, and you'll realize the dope game isn't everyone's dead-end street". In 2010, Enter
3400-460: The album as possessing an aesthetic that was "low on hype and production values [and] high on the idea that indigence is a central part of blackness". While the lyrical content on Enter the Wu-Tang generally varies from rapper to rapper, the basic themes are the same—urban life, martial arts movies , comic book references, and marijuana —and the setting is invariably the harsh environment of New York City. AllMusic contributor Steve Huey praises
3485-400: The album helped return New York City hip hop to national prominence, a new generation of New York rappers, many of them inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan's example, released a flurry of classic albums that later became known as the East Coast Renaissance . Enter the Wu-Tang has been recognized by critics as a landmark album in the movement. AllMusic indicates that the success of the album paved
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3570-401: The album is wrought with a 'dirty' quality—the drums have more bass and are more hard-hitting than they are crisp and clean; the samples have an eerie, almost haunting type of echo; and the vocals, because each member's voice is already aggressive and gritty, perfectly match the production." Although Ol' Dirty Bastard is given co-production credit on "Da Mystery of Chessboxin ' " and Method Man
3655-414: The charisma so undeniable, that it propelled the Wu-Tang Clan to the height of the rap game, and today stands not just as the hip-hop classic that introduced the concept of obscure thematic characters (each member's name references old kung-fu movies), but also bridged the gap between traditional old-school sensibilities and the technical lyricism of today. In a retrospective review, Robert Christgau found
3740-479: The critical praise of his debut. This release included the single " Got Your Money ", which garnered worldwide chart success. The song was produced by The Neptunes and featured chorus vocals by R&B singer Kelis . In 1999, Ol' Dirty Bastard was paid $ 30,000 to appear on Insane Clown Posse 's fifth studio album, The Amazing Jeckel Brothers . Completing his track in two days, his recording consisted of his "rambling about bitches". Insane Clown Posse re-recorded
3825-466: The first tracks recorded by the Wu-Tang Clan, released independently by the group as a 12-inch single in December 1992. "Protect Ya Neck" is a free-associative and braggadocious battle rap featuring eight of the nine Wu-Tang Clan members. The track was also edited to scratch out all profanity, save for repeated use of the word "nigga". An uncensored version known as the "Bloody Version" was released on
3910-594: The group enjoyed watching, the Clan considered themselves as lyrical masters of the 36 chambers, and arrived onto the rap scene while appearing to be ahead, and more advanced over others, with "knowledge of 36 chambers of hip hop music when everyone else in hip hop was striving to attain the knowledge of 35 lessons". Also, while the human body has 108 pressure points (1 + 0 + 8 = 9), only the Wu-Tang martial artists learned and understood that 36 of those pressure points are deadly (9 + 36 = 45) (4 + 5 = 9). The lyrics and rhymes of
3995-415: The group was only able to record in a small, inexpensive studio; with up to eight of the nine Wu-Tang members in the studio at once, the quarters were frequently crowded. To decide who appeared on each song, RZA forced the Wu-Tang rappers to battle with each other. This competition led to the track "Meth Vs. Chef", a battle between Method Man and Raekwon over the rights to rap over RZA's beat; this track
4080-426: The height of commercial viability; it's supposed to smolder underground, hidden from the view of mainstream America, who surely would not be ready for such a challenge. But America was ready, in part because this one challenged convention, not listeners. Sure, its sloppy drum programming, bizarre song structures, and unpolished sound quality disturbed commercial rap purists, but the talent was so inherent and obvious, and
4165-507: The lyricists for their originality and caustic humor , stating "Some were outsized, theatrical personalities, others were cerebral storytellers and lyrical technicians, but each had his own distinctive style ... Every track on Enter the Wu-Tang is packed with fresh, inventive rhymes, which are filled with martial arts metaphors, pop culture references (everything from Voltron to Lucky Charms cereal commercials to Barbra Streisand 's " The Way We Were "), bizarre threats of violence, and
4250-451: The martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978). The distinctive, gritty sound of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a blueprint for hardcore hip-hop during the 1990s, and helped return New York City hip-hop to national prominence. Its sound also became greatly influential in modern hip-hop production, while the group members' explicit, humorous, and free-associative lyrics have served as
4335-554: The matter in the book The Wu-Tang Manual (2005), stating "[Tommy Boy] made the decision to sign House of Pain over us. When they dropped me, I was thinking, 'Damn, they chose a bunch of whiteboy shit over me. ' " RZA began collaborating with Dennis Coles, later known as Ghostface Killah , another rapper from the Stapleton Houses in Staten Island . The duo decided to create a hip hop group whose ethos would be
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#17327758782154420-415: The most prolific of the group, featured on eight tracks. Though the performers have widely differing techniques, the chemistry between them is a key ingredient of the album's success. Pitchfork asserts that "Half the charm is in the cast's idiosyncrasies: ODB's hovering sing-song, Raekwon's fake stutter, Ghostface's verbal tics, Method Man's hazy, dusted voice." Part of the album's title originates from
4505-541: The music industry was an element of RZA's stated plan for industry-wide domination, wherein "All Wu releases are deemed to be 50 percent partnerships with Wu-Tang Productions and each Wu member with solo deal must contribute 20 percent of their earnings back to Wu-Tang Productions, a fund for all Wu members". On Enter the Wu-Tang ' s effect on the group and the music industry, the Milwaukee Journal ' s Aaron Justin-Szopinski wrote "The Wu showed us that
4590-426: 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, composed of tracks compiled without Ol' Dirty Bastard's input. In 2003, the day he was released from prison, Ol' Dirty Bastard signed a contract with Roc-A-Fella Records . Living at his mother's home under house arrest and with
4675-604: The rest of the Wu-Tang Clan. On July 18, 2004, his final live performance was at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Garrettsville, Ohio . In August 2017 in an interview on Hot 97 , Wu-Tang Clan member RZA confirmed that the new Wu-Tang album, The Saga Continues , will contain unreleased vocals by Ol' Dirty Bastard. To celebrate Ol' Dirty Bastard's birthday, "Intoxicated" from the unreleased album A Son Unique
4760-509: The right neighborhoods." However, Enter the Wu-Tang had surprising chart success, despite its raw, underground sound. It peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number eight on Billboard ' s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album continued to sell steadily and was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on May 15, 1995. Over time, Enter
4845-528: The same name. They eventually added six more members to their group, calling it the Wu-Tang Clan. The group released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993, receiving notable commercial and critical success. His stage name was derived from the 1980 Chinese martial arts film Ol' Dirty and the Bastard (also called An Old Kung Fu Master , starring Yuen Siu-tien ). According to fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man , Ol' Dirty Bastard's name
4930-403: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title ODB . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ODB&oldid=1094983049 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
5015-435: The scene. The official cause of death was a drug overdose ; an autopsy found a lethal mixture of cocaine and the prescription opioid tramadol . The overdose was ruled accidental and witnesses said Jones reportedly complained of chest pain before collapsing. Mourning the decline of Jones' mental and physical health, RZA wrote in his 2009 book The Tao of Wu : Trust me, the man who became ODB, Ason Unique, my cousin, he
5100-470: The signature sound of New York City 's rap scene during the mid-1990s. He writes that "the Wu-Tang Clan ;... all but invented 90s New York rap, back when the notion of an East Coast gangsta still meant Schoolly D or Kool G. Rap ... [They] designed the manner and style in which New York artists would address what Snoop and Dre had made rap's hottest topics: drugs and violence." As
5185-485: The significant welfare reforms enacted in 1996 . In 1997, Ol' Dirty Bastard appeared on the Wu-Tang Clan's second and most commercially successful work, the double album Wu-Tang Forever . He had fewer appearances on this album than the group's debut, contributing to one solo track ("Dog Shit"), three verses ("Maria", "Reunited", "Heaterz"), one hook ("As High as Wu-Tang Get"), and a spoken introduction/refrain (" Triumph "). In February 1998, Ol' Dirty Bastard witnessed
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#17327758782155270-547: The soul singer Bilal names it among his 25 favorite albums, citing its creative approach and "energy" of the contributors. The album would come to preview further work fueled by both cinematic samples and inter-woven genres. Following Enter the Wu-Tang ' s success, the individual members of the group negotiated and signed solo contracts with a variety of different labels: Method Man signed with Def Jam , Ol' Dirty Bastard with Elektra , GZA with Geffen Records , and Ghostface Killah with Epic Records . This expansion across
5355-402: The stage to a round of applause, he asked the audience, "Please calm down, the music and everything. It's nice that I went and bought me an outfit today that costed a lot of money today, you know what I mean? 'Cause I figured that Wu-Tang was gonna win. 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. You know what I mean? Puffy
5440-421: The subsequent Wu-Tang Clan albums have garnered the critical accolades that their debut was accorded. In 2013, the group reunited, at the behest of RZA, for an album and tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the album ' s release. The album was titled A Better Tomorrow and the tour included dates throughout the United States, Europe, and Russia. All original members of the group who performed on Enter
5525-417: The technique by which RZA employed them in his beats was unique and largely unprecedented in hip hop. The gritty sound of Enter the Wu-Tang is due, at least in part, to the use of cheap equipment to produce the album. According to music journalist Ben Yew, the minimalist means of production plays directly into the music's "street" aesthetic. "Because [RZA] didn't have the best mixing or recording equipment,
5610-637: The three A-sides and the B-side songs including "Method Man", "Da Mystery of Chessboxin ' ", and "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit". As the group's profile increased, the quality of their videos improved; though the "Protect Ya Neck" video resembled a home movie, later videos were directed by rising hip hop music video director Hype Williams . The videos received almost no airplay on MTV but were extremely popular on video-by-request channels such as The Box . Touré wrote in his 1993 Rolling Stone review that, "in Brooklyn, N.Y., right now and extending back
5695-447: The track and re-edited Ol' Dirty Bastard's vocals in order to form four rhymes out of his rambling, titling the song "Bitches". In 2001, with Ol' Dirty Bastard again in jail for crack cocaine possession, his record label Elektra Records made the decision to release a greatest hits album (despite there being only two albums in his back catalog) in order to both end their contract with the artist ( see below section ), and to profit from
5780-540: The vehicle or near the scene. In February 1999, he was arrested for driving without a license and for being a convicted felon wearing a bulletproof vest . At the time, it was illegal for felons to own body armor. 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. In October 2000, he escaped from his court-mandated drug treatment facility and spent one month as
5865-478: The way for Nas , The Notorious B.I.G. , Mobb Deep , and Jay-Z . At the time of the album's release, mainstream hip hop was dominated by the West Coast . Enter the Wu-Tang (along with Nas ' critically acclaimed Illmatic and the commercial success of The Notorious B.I.G. 's Ready to Die ) was able to shift the emphasis away from the melodious, synthesizer -driven G-funk and restore interest into
5950-502: Was a scientist and a minor prophet... People may not know this from the outrageous character he played, but ODB was a visionary. But he decayed, he lost that vision... From the time they put him in jail to all the drugs he was doing to all the stress he went through with his family, it took away his ability to see. And this night, he sat there and looked me in the eye and said, "RZA, I don't understand." ... Now, I know that right there, right when he said that—we lost him. Eight hours later, ODB
6035-409: Was also a reference to the unique nature of his rapping and, specifically, the fact "there ain't no father to his style." Ol' Dirty Bastard's solo career began March 28, 1995, at the age of 26. His first solo album, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version , spawned the hit singles " Brooklyn Zoo " and " Shimmy Shimmy Ya ", which helped propel the album to platinum status . The album's sound
6120-420: Was being profiled for an MTV biography, he took two of his three children by limousine to a New York State welfare office to cash a $ 375 welfare check and receive food stamps while his latest album was still in the top 10 of the U.S. charts. The entire incident was filmed by an MTV camera crew and was broadcast nationwide. Although he had recently received a $ 45,000 cash advance for his first solo album and
6205-542: Was born on November 15, 1968, in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn , New York City. He and his cousins Robert Diggs and Gary Grice shared a taste for rap music and martial arts-style movies. Jones, Diggs, and Grice (later known as Ol' Dirty Bastard, RZA, and GZA respectively) formed the group Force of the Imperial Master, which became known as All in Together Now after their successful underground single of
6290-498: Was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America , and in October 2018 it was certified triple platinum. Initially receiving positive reviews from most music critics, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) has since been widely regarded as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2020, the album was ranked 27th on Rolling Stone 's updated list of
6375-467: Was earning a cut of the profits from the Wu-Tang Clan's debut album, Ol' Dirty Bastard was still listed as eligible for welfare and food stamps due to the fact that he had not yet filed his taxes for the current year. His caseworker revoked his eligibility after seeing the MTV segment, and the incident was presented by critics of welfare as representative of the allegedly widespread abuse and fraud that led to
6460-502: Was gone. Grammy Awards Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan , released on November 9, 1993, by Loud Records and RCA Records . The recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City , and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA . Its title originates from
6545-538: Was later dismissed. On January 14, 1999, two officers from the Street Crimes Unit fired eight shots at Ol' Dirty Bastard and accused him of firing at them after they stopped his car in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Ol' Dirty Bastard was cleared by a grand jury and insisted that the officers had been scared by his cellular phone. No weapons or shell casings (besides those of the officers) were found in
6630-582: Was left off the Wu-Tang Clan's debut album but surfaced on Method Man's debut, Tical (1994). Group leader RZA produced Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by creating sonic collages from classic soul samples and clips from martial arts movies Shaolin and Wu Tang (1983) and Ten Tigers from Kwangtung (1979). He complemented the rappers' performances with "lean, menacing beats that evoked their gritty, urban surroundings more effectively than their words," according to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic. The use of soul samples and various esoteric clips, and
6715-406: Was noted by several music writers as being as "raw and gritty" as 36 Chambers , with RZA and 4th Disciple producing beats of an even more minimalist and stripped-down style than on the group's debut album. In this same year, Ol' Dirty Bastard collaborated with Mariah Carey for the remix version of her single " Fantasy ". It was around this time that Ol' Dirty Bastard gained notoriety when, as he
6800-525: Was photographed by Daniel Hastings. It features only six members of the Wu-Tang Clan: RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon; member U-God was in jail for a parole violation at the time, while Method Man had been arrested earlier that day for marijuana possession. As not every member of the group was present for the shoot, the six members who were donned stocking masks to conceal their faces. The album cover photo
6885-399: Was released as a single on November 15, 2018. In 1993, Ol' Dirty Bastard 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 children. In 1998, he pleaded guilty to attempted assault on his wife and was the victim of
6970-479: Was shot inside Angel Orensanz Center , then an abandoned and ruined synagogue. The group was photographed in front of a large foamcore rendering of the Wu-Tang Clan logo, on a set lit with tungsten lights , strobe lights , and candles. Hastings also took several photographs of the group under the Queensboro Bridge , which were featured in the album's packaging. " Protect Ya Neck " and "Tearz" were
7055-538: Was spotted by members of the media. The evening following the traffic accident, Ol' Dirty Bastard rushed on-stage unexpectedly as Shawn Colvin took the stage to give her acceptance speech for Song of the Year at the 1998 Grammy Awards , and he announced he had recently purchased expensive clothes in anticipation of winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album that he lost to Puff Daddy . As Ol' Dirty Bastard took
7140-420: Was the result of serious drug problems or genuine mental instability ." According to The Atlantic contributing editor and music biographer James Parker, Jones had been diagnosed with schizophrenia around 2003. Jones collapsed at approximately 4:35 p.m. (EST) on November 13, 2004, just two days before his 36th birthday, at RZA 's recording studio in New York City ; he was pronounced dead at
7225-617: Was with Jon B. on the track "Everytime" from the album, Stronger Everyday . In 2005, five months after his death, he appeared posthumously on the song "Blah-Blah-Blah" by Brooke Valentine on her debut and only album, Chain Letter . On July 17, 2004, Ol' Dirty Bastard had his second to last live performance at the Rock the Bells hip-hop festival in San Bernardino, California , with
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