As Wu-Tang Clan prepares for its Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction on November 14, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s family is making sure the late rapper remains part of the celebration. His son, Young Dirty Bastard, will take the stage alongside the legendary hip-hop group in his father’s honor.
ODB’s family shares plans for the induction
TMZ spoke with Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s widow, Icelene Jones, and two of his daughters after they arrived in Los Angeles ahead of the upcoming ceremony. Icelene shared that their son will take the stage alongside Wu-Tang Clan to honor his late father. Icelene expressed how honored she feels to represent her late husband. She added that he would have appreciated the honor, as he was a true rock star himself.
The wife shared that the late rapper has 12 grandchildren he never got to meet. She believes he would have loved spending time with his growing family if he were alive today. One of his daughters, meanwhile, joked that he would probably be living in Africa and staying away from the spotlight. Icelene also hinted that fans might still have unreleased Ol’ Dirty Bastard music to look forward to. When asked about recordings kept in the vault, she replied, “I think so.”
Ol’ Dirty Bastard, whose real name was Russell Tyrone Jones, died of an accidental drug overdose on November 13, 2004, at the age of 35. The rapper’s death came after he had served a two-year sentence for drug possession.
His mother, Cherry Brown, said at that time, as stated by The Guardian, “To the public he was known as Ol’ Dirty Bastard, but to me he was known as Rusty. The kindest, most generous soul on earth. Russell was more than a rapper; he was a loving father, brother, uncle, and most of all, son.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. In addition to Wu-Tang Clan, several other music stars will receive the honor, including Billy Idol, Sade, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, and Queen Latifah.
