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Ol' Dirty Bastard

aka Russell Tyrone Jones

Ol' Dirty Bastard was easily the most tempermental, unpredictable member of rap super group Wu-Tang Clan. ODB helped form the group in 1992, but his off-stage antics have since overshadowed his on-stage talent. In 1998, he tried to change his name to "Big Baby Jesus", got shot in the back in his own home and was arrested several times. He allegedly stole a pair of sneakers, threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, threatened a security guard and finally ended up in a drug treatment facility in Los Angeles. Somehow he escaped and remained on the run from the law, even making appearances on stage from time to time, before finally being apprehended at a fast food restraurant in Philadelphia. In 2001 he was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison.

Timeline

15 Nov 1968 Russell Tyrone Jones is born in Brooklyn, NY.

25 Feb 1998

During Shawn Colvin's acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards, ODB grabs the microphone and makes various observations such as "Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best" and "Wu-Tang is for the children". He is then escorted offstage. He later discussed his actions backstage with Chris Connelly of MTV News:

ODB: I dunno, something just jumped into my blood and I was up there. Puffy and all the artists are good artists, but I think Wu-Tang, hey we number one, and that's basically it.

CONNELLY: Do you think that was the appropriate venue to say that?

ODB: Yes.

27 Nov 2000 ODB is arrested in a McDonald's parking lot in Philadelphia, after the McDonald's manager called the police.

13 Nov 2004 ODB dies of heart failure after complaining of chest pains. A subsequent autopsy reveals ODB overdosed on cocaine and painkillers.

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