On Wednesday, August 21 the Grammy Museum hosted a special screening of Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys with a post-screening panel discussion featuring Executive Producers Young Dirty Bastard (son of ODB), Icelene Jones (wife of ODB), Nicole Beckett, Messiah Jacobs, Jason Pollard (Get Me Roger Stone, Bitchin’ The Sound and Fury of Rick James) to talk about the creative process behind the film. Special guests in attendance included Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s daughters Shaquita and Taniqua Jones, and RZA (Wu-Tang Clan).
A&E and Four Screens presents Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys, the first official documentary about the iconic Grammy-nominated musician and legendary founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. Co-directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning Director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI, Black Art: In The Absence of Light) and his son Jason Pollard. Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys features access to his closest friends and family, including Mariah Carey, Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, ODB’s wife Icelene Jones, his son Bar-Sun Jones, his parents, recording industry executives, and more.
The Los Angeles premiere included a red carpet at the Grammy Museum’s second floor outside the Clive Davis Theater. Nearing 8 o’clock in the evening the special screening began with a quick speech from Messiah Jacobs and YDB welcoming and thanking everyone for supporting the project. The nearly 90-minute film includes a never-before-seen personal archive shot by ODB’s wife, Icelene. The documentary humanizes ODB as a man, a father, and a husband like never before. This definitive documentary provides an intimate picture of ODB’s life story from his childhood, to his first introduction to hip-hop, fatherhood, and reflects on the lasting impact he had on music and culture.
The documentary is incredibly made, it pulls the audience into the life of a hip-hop legend like never before, illustrating his personality through home videos. It humanizes the legendary MC, particularly with a story that had been washed away, ODB had saved a child’s life during a car crash accident, and that child, now a grown woman, was later revealed to be one of the special guests within the audience. The film includes an emotional retelling of ODB’s death from each family member’s perspective. During the heavy scenes, all three siblings walked out of the theater. The entire theater mourned ODB’s death once again.
Following the screening, a panel was held on stage with the family, directors and producers of the film. RZA was asked to join the panel but appeared to have been moved by the documentary and decided to thank everyone on stage and exit the theater. ODB’s entire family shared how they keep his legacy alive, all have become creatives. Shaquita is a designer and writes poetry, Taniqua emphasizes the importance of mental health and shared that she will have an upcoming art exhibit titled Into the 36 Chambers, YDB shared that he now raps with the skills his father instilled in him. The family also shared that they are working on a new biopic on ODB which will include YDB portraying his father, it is unknown when or if this project will occur.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys premiers on A&E on Sunday, August 25. For more information visit here. Check out the preview below:
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