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Artist: Ol'Dirty Bastard
Album: Osirus The Official Mixtape
Rating: *****
It’s strange to think that after all the ridiculous
tabloid fodder over the past decade (fathering 13
children, storming Shawn Colvin’s acceptance speech at
the 97’Grammy’s and screaming that “Wu-Tang is for the
children,” shoplifting a 50 dollar pair of sneakers,
making not one but TWO terrorist threats, being arrested
while possessing 20 vials of crack cocaine, calling a
female DA a “sperm donor,” etc. etc.) O.D.B./Joe
Bananas/Dirt McGirt/Dirt Dog/Unique Ason/Big Baby Jesus
(my personal favorite alias)/Osirus/ actual birth name
Russell Tyrone Jones, one third Wu-Tang Clan - founder
and just plain ol’ dirty dirty actually passed away
after collapsing in a recording studio less than two
months ago. It’s a shame that Ol’ Dirty didn’t get to
see The Osirus Mixtape come to fruition, because after
listening to this posthumous release, it seems that
O.D.B. was finally getting his rap career, if not his
life, back on track.
If anything, The Osirus Mixtape should officially get
the awful taste of 2002’s horrendous The Trials and
Tribulations of Russell Jones out of listeners mouths
and ears (guest spots from Insane Clown Posse? What the
fuck were they thinking?). While Osirus can’t hold a
candle to Return To The 36 Chambers or Nigga Please
because of the second half’s lame crunk laden production
from “Chops For Chops,” it’s front-loaded first half is
one hell of a fun time. Black Rob does an adequate job
on “High In The Clouds,” and Cappadonna, arguably the
weakest link in the entire Wu-Tang regime, makes up for
it all on the stellar track “Stand Up.” Longtime David
Bowie collaborator/guitarist Mick Ronson’s son Marc lays
production work on the excellent “Dirty Dirty,” and
after that it almost seems fitting that Ol’ Dirty and
producer “Ill” Will Fulton chose Bowie’s “Fame” as the
music background track for inevitable future dance floor
smash “Dirty Run.”
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