Ol' Dirty Bastard Documentary Humanizes the Hip-Hop Icon

Earlier this month, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in Miami Beach served as a communal meal for Black creatives to discuss, engage, and premiere their work. Notable names, such as writer and actress Issa Rae, actor Daniel Ezra, the cast of the CW series All American, and the true renaissance man of the entertainment industry, Denzel Washington, all made appearances during the festival.

During the stormy Father's Day weekend, attendees maneuvered in and out of the Miami Beach Convention Center, absorbing content and knowledge that premiered solely at the film festival prior to the public and any streaming platforms. Film director Jason Pollard exemplified ABFF's mission: building community through spotlighting and celebrating often overlooked Black stories. Alongside his father, Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Sam Pollard, he directed and produced the upcoming A&E documentary Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys, which screened at the festival.

The documentary zooms into the iconic hip-hop Wu-Tang Clan group, focusing on founding member Ol' Dirty Bastard (Russell Tyrone Jones). Beyond his music, the New York City rapper is best remembered for sporting untamed cornrows, embracing a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English 800, and his gleaming diamond-studded gold teeth that read "Dirty" and spoke to his alter ego. But behind that bravado was a human being who came from a two-parent household, which later inspired ODB to marry and build a familial foundation of his own.

"We want viewers to know about him," Jason tells New Times before the screening. "The documentary will serve as a primer and give viewers who are unfamiliar with ODB a reason to explore him further. I want viewers to come away with who he was as a person."
Although ODB died in 2004 at 35 from a drug overdose, the documentary reminds audiences of his lasting impact and humanizes the rapper through personal testimonies from his wife, Icelene Jones. It also acknowledges that ODB's death left a void in the culture. "We lose that artist spark that makes life worth living and the ability to have fun with the music to truly enjoy the artistry," Jason adds. "ODB had an unpredictable spirit both in the music and outside of it."

Friends of ODB, such as singer Mariah Carey and Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, and family members make appearances in A Tale of Two Dirtys, offering glimpses of the ODB only those closest to him got to know. The rapper was proudly known for celebrating the struggle and the culture, unafraid of expressing his grit through his lyrics and character.

"ODB celebrated the life and the culture of hip-hop. He wasn't afraid to keep it real; life is grimy at times," Jason explains. "The original mission and purpose of hip-hop was to give America a peek into what their lives were like. It wasn't just Black people struggling in America — everyone, race and ethnicity aside, struggles. If we don't realize this fact, then we lose empathy for our fellow man."

When regarded in his absence, peers consistently admired ODB's strong sense of self-awareness. He lived by a mantra: "Everybody trying to please somebody; I ain't trying to please no motherfuckin' body."

"He never presented a sanitized version of himself," Jason adds. "ODB and his genius knew that the consumer is attracted to the real, not the presentation. ODB's legacy still prevails because of this authentic mantra."

A Tale of Two Dirtys explores ODB's internal and external forces that brought about his downfall while giving viewers a complete profile of the man and the artist. Ultimately, the documentary ensures everyone continues to cherish and preserve ODB's music and legacy for decades to come.

Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys will premiere on A&E later this summer.