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Worcester's 'Buddha Monk' On The Legacy Of Rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard
ResumeHe was born Russell Jones, but he was best known as Ol' Dirty Bastard of the innovative hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan, which had its big run in the 1990s with songs like, "Protect Ya Neck."
Ol' Dirty Bastard was a known for his talent as a free-styling rhymer and rapper, as well as for his off-stage antics. He once rode a limousine to pick up his welfare check. He lifted a burning car off of a 4-year-old girl in Brooklyn, then stormed the stage at the Grammy's as Shawn Colvin was giving her acceptance speech. He was shot, spent time in jail and, in 2004 — when he was 35 years old and attempting a musical comeback — he died of a drug overdose.
Among those who knew Ol' Dirty Bastard best was his hype-man, the rapper and DJ Buddha Monk, who grew up with him in Brooklyn and now lives in Worcester. Buddha Monk has co-written a biography of his late friend and collaborator, "Ol' Dirty Bastard: The Dirty Version."
Guest
Buddha Monk, rap artist and co-author of "Ol' Dirty Bastard: The Dirty Version." He tweets @LORDBUDDHAMONK.
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The New Yorker: The Way Of The Wu
- "A new book called 'The Dirty Version,' written by his constant companion, Buddha Monk, describes the continual state of tumult the rapper lived in, doling out money to friends and lovers and relatives, going AWOL for recording sessions, and generally not accepting that he was possibly the best-known Wu-Tang member."
This segment aired on December 11, 2014.