ODB and Me

New York City has produced any number of colorful characters over the years, and few were as colorful as Ol' Dirty Bastard -- the legendary Brooklyn-born rapper and co-founder of the Wu-Tang Clan who died in 2004. 

To think, our city and the American culture has been without this great creative mind and philosopher for almost a decade. It's a low down dirty shame.

Oh yes, he was a musical genius. The Wu Tang Clan was probably the most influential East Coast rap group of the last 20 years and Mr Dirty Bastard was one its pioneers.

But what really made ODB stand out was how chronically outrageous he was. 

In a day and age when hommies be frontin', all trying to be da' Mack, ODD kept it Real. He was one dope-ass brutha'. Who can forget when ODB interrupted a Grammy-winner's speech to declare that "Wu-Tang is for the children?" Or that he fathered 13 children? Or that he declared that his big plan for the year 1998 was to find some ladies to "put some babies in"? (He was apparently very fertile).

Or the time he went to go pick up his welfare check -- in a limo? 

But more than that, ODB was a deep thinker, a great mind. This was reflected in the lyrics to his music. For example, these choice gems of wisdom:

"Bitch ass niggaz counterfeit the funk
I smoke the bead and the skunk, treetop of the trunk"

"I don't have no trouble with you fuckin' me/ But I got a little problem with you not fuckin' me"

"Oh baby, this is dedicated to all the pretty girls. All the pretty girls in the world, and the ugly girls too cause to me you're pretty anyway."

 

Wasn't he sweet?

Anyway, we will never see his likes again. Mr NYC mourns in his continuing absence. And like any good hommie, I tip a 40 to the memory.