Most people remember Ol’ Dirty Bastard as the stage-crashing, secret weapon of Wu-Tang Clan. A raw showman whose death left the world of music, and those closest to him, shocked and confused. But Ol’ Dirty Bastard, aka Ason Unique, was far more complex. He was a man of many names, a God in hip hop, a father, husband, and someone who struggled with addiction and mental health.
Hosted by New York-based photographer and filmmaker Khalik Allah, ODB: A Son Unique takes listeners on a journey into the legendary rapper’s complicated world. The first three episodes drop Tuesday, November 7, with two new episodes releasing every Tuesday.
Subscribe to ODB: A Son Unique on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever podcasts are available, and listen to the trailer out today: HERE.
Remarked Allah: “To me, Ol’ Dirty Bastard is a legend and a prophet of Hip Hop. To lend my voice as a host to this podcast has been a true honor and a way of praising the life of one of the most unique geniuses in music. Our lives intersected in many ways, from having mutual friends to both having been enrolled in the curriculum of the Five Percent Nation. Working on this podcast has been a privilege and now I hope the world gains a new perspective on the short but profound life of Ason Unique, also known as the Ol’ Dirty Bastard; the Brooklyn emcee stormed the 1998 Grammy stage and said ‘Wu-Tang is for the children.’”
ODB: A Son Unique pays homage to a singular rap icon who left an indelible mark on Hip Hop. Host Khalik Allah, who started his career photographing the Wu-Tang Clan, tells the story of ODB from a young prankster growing up in Brooklyn to the formation of the most iconic group in New York hip-hop history: Wu-Tang Clan; and the chaotic production of his debut solo album. Allah tells the story of a man caught between the values of the Five Percent Nation – Black nationalist ideology – and a toxic mix of fame, mental health, and a racist criminal justice system which contributed to his untimely death at just 35 years old.
Through archival interviews with Popa Wu, who served as a mentor for both Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Allah, and new interviews with Buddha Monk, Raekwon, detective Derrick Parker, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s brother Ramsey Jones, biographer Jaime Lowe, lawyer Peter Frankel, writer and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib and more, ODB: A Son Unique offers an unforgettable story about Black life in America through the lens of a kindred spirit.
