What might have been a run-of-the-mill album release party instead turned into an outright shocker, as fugitive rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard joined his comrades in the Wu-Tang Clan onstage for three songs in front of a sold-out crowd at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom last night (Nov. 21).
The Wu-Tang Clan was performing in celebration of its just-released Loud album, "The W," which is dedicated to ODB (who appears on but one track, "Conditioner," a duet with Snoop Dogg). After warming up the crowd with new material, group leader RZA paused to thank everybody for coming and to introduce some older tracks, at which point ODB took the stage and began rapping his 1995 solo hit "Shimmy Shimmy Ya." Taken completely off guard, the crowd soon gave Ol' Dirty (born Russell Jones) a deafening cheer in appreciation of his daring and defiant appearance.
After escaping a court-ordered tenure at Pasadena, Calif., drug treatment facility Impact House on Oct. 17, a "no bail" bench warrant was issued for ODB's arrest by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel. The rapper was ordered into the rehab program for violating his 1999 probation, and still faces outstanding cases in three New York counties for unrelated charges, including possession of crack cocaine and illegally wearing a bulletproof vest.
After contributing to a resounding version of Wu-Tang's "Shame On A Nigga," ODB -- looking pudgy in a huge orange parka and snow hat -- addressed the crowd: "Y'all know they had the ODB locked down, right? Well, I'm here to tell you that they can't keep me down." He explained that "the whole fuckin' world is after me" and he was planning to "become like a bird" in order to survive.
The rapper then left, saying "I can't stay on stage too long tonight [since] the cops is after me." RZA made sure the crowd knew this was a triumphant moment for the group. "For the first time in three years, you see the whole Wu-Tang Clan onstage tonight," he said.
To be sure, ODB's appearance was a total surprise, perhaps even to some of the other rappers onstage. Loud Records was not told about it in advance, according to two label spokespersons. ODB's current whereabouts are unknown.
The Wu-Tang Clan was performing in celebration of its just-released Loud album, "The W," which is dedicated to ODB (who appears on but one track, "Conditioner," a duet with Snoop Dogg). After warming up the crowd with new material, group leader RZA paused to thank everybody for coming and to introduce some older tracks, at which point ODB took the stage and began rapping his 1995 solo hit "Shimmy Shimmy Ya." Taken completely off guard, the crowd soon gave Ol' Dirty (born Russell Jones) a deafening cheer in appreciation of his daring and defiant appearance.
After escaping a court-ordered tenure at Pasadena, Calif., drug treatment facility Impact House on Oct. 17, a "no bail" bench warrant was issued for ODB's arrest by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel. The rapper was ordered into the rehab program for violating his 1999 probation, and still faces outstanding cases in three New York counties for unrelated charges, including possession of crack cocaine and illegally wearing a bulletproof vest.
After contributing to a resounding version of Wu-Tang's "Shame On A Nigga," ODB -- looking pudgy in a huge orange parka and snow hat -- addressed the crowd: "Y'all know they had the ODB locked down, right? Well, I'm here to tell you that they can't keep me down." He explained that "the whole fuckin' world is after me" and he was planning to "become like a bird" in order to survive.
The rapper then left, saying "I can't stay on stage too long tonight [since] the cops is after me." RZA made sure the crowd knew this was a triumphant moment for the group. "For the first time in three years, you see the whole Wu-Tang Clan onstage tonight," he said.
To be sure, ODB's appearance was a total surprise, perhaps even to some of the other rappers onstage. Loud Records was not told about it in advance, according to two label spokespersons. ODB's current whereabouts are unknown.
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