The late Ol Dirty Bastard will be remembered tonight (Nov. 15) as part of a memorial birthday party hosted by the rapper’s Brooklyn Zu crew and Wu-Tang Clan.
The two groups will celebrate the late lyricist’s life at a gathering at the Canal Room in New York City.
The event will feature performances by the Zu, Inspectah Deck, Shyheim, Killarmy, Chi-King, W. Gleamz and UNI.
The performers will close the show by coming together with Method Man and Cherry Jones, Ol Dirty Bastard’s mother, for a special tribute to the rapper.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard, real name Russell Jones, died two years ago, a mere two days shy of his 36th birthday.
The rapper’s death was listed as an accidental overdose by the New York Medical Examiner’s Office after an autopsy showed a fatal combination of cocaine and prescription painkiller Tramadol were found in his system.
Despite official reports, some question the events surrounding ODB’s death.
The rapper and many close to him felt he was a target for death by unnamed authority figures.
In a pre-death interview published during AllHipHop.com ‘s Wu Week in August, ODB expressed his concern.
“I was in an unsafe place where the government is trying to kill me at, and all kinds of s**t was going on – s**t that I don’t really need to talk about. I’ll keep it to myself,” the rapper said. “It don’t make no sense talking about it anyway because everybody act like they motherf**kin’ blind to the truth.”
For potential attendees, the Canal Room is located at 285 West Broadway New York, NY 10013. To RSVP, email RSVP@StatusPr.com or call (212) 941-8100.
An official listening party for Ol Dirty Bastard’s final studio album will also be held. The release is scheduled to hit stores in 2007.
In the meantime, a documentary on the life of Ol Dirty Bastard (born Russell Jones) is in its final stages of production.
The film, which will include footage from the memorial birthday party/listening party, is due next year.
