Ol’ Dirty Bastard | Cocaine & Tramadol Overdose Death

Rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard was well-known as the most spontaneous member of the nine-man hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. He was also known for his signature half-rap, half-singing style.

Unfortunately, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s music career was cut short when he died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 35.

How Did Ol’ Dirty Bastard Die?

Ol’ Dirty Bastard died two days before his 36th birthday on November 13, 2004, in Manhattan. 

He was at the 36 Records LLC recording studio working on his fourth solo album, Osiris, when he collapsed outside the studio. Paramedics were called but by the time they got there, he was dead. 

According to the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office, his cause of death was a heart attack brought on by a combination of cocaine and tramadol, a prescription opioid painkiller. 

Based on witness testimony, he had been complaining of chest pain and was having difficulty breathing earlier in the day.

Jones’s funeral was held at Brooklyn’s Christian Cultural Center and attracted thousands of fans. He was survived by his mother Cherry Jones, his wife, and his three children.

About Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB) was born Russell Tyrone Jones on November 15, 1968 in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn in New York City, New York. 

He loved music, especially rap and hip-hop, from an early age. Russell Jones and his cousins Robert Diggs (RZA) and Gary Grice (GZA) spent most of their time in Staten Island and it was there that they formed a group called Force of the Imperial Master. 

The group’s name then changed to All Together Now after they had success with a single of the same name. It wasn’t until they added six more members that they created the Wu-Tang Clan.

Wu-Tang Clan

In 1993, the group released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang Clan, which received both commercial and critical acclaim. Besides the three cousins, the members of Wu-Tang Clan included Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa.

Jones created his stage name by taking the titles of two 1980s Chinese martial arts movies. One was called Ol’ Dirty and the other was The Bastard. Some of Jones’s most well-known tracks include “Protect Ya Neck” and “Got Your Money.”

Solo Career

ODB started his solo career in 1995 with his first solo album, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version. It included singles like “Brooklyn Zoo” and “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” During this time, he also appeared on the Mariah Carey track “Fantasy.”

In 1997, he appeared on Wu-Tang Clan’s second album, Wu-Tang Forever. He can be heard on several tracks such as “Dog Shit,” “Maria,” “Reunited,” “Heaterz,” and “As High as Wu-Tang Get.”

In 1998, he made the news for interrupting Shawn Colvin’s acceptance speech for Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards. He was upset to lose Best Rap Album to Puff Daddy.

Legal Issues & Prison Time

ODB also had issues with the law. In 1993, he was arrested for assault for an attempted robbery. He was also arrested for failure to pay child support in 1997 and pleaded guilty to attempted assault on his wife, Icelene Jones, in 1998. 

In 1999, he was arrested for crack cocaine possession. In 2001, he was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison for crack cocaine possession plus 2 years for escaping a rehab clinic.

After Prison

When he was released in 2003, he signed with Roc-A-Fella Records and started going by Dirt McGirt. 

While living with his mom under house arrest, he filmed a VH1 special titled Inside Out: Ol’ Dirty Bastard on Parole. He also recorded the album A Son Unique, but it was years before it was finally released.

His final live performance was in July 2004 at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Ohio. 

Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s History Of Substance Abuse

Ol’ Dirty Bastard had an issue with drugs for a good portion of his life. He was arrested with crack cocaine on him at least twice. He was also ordered by the court to go to rehab because of his drug use. Drug use is also what eventually led to his untimely death in 2004. 

Did Ol’ Dirty Bastard Attend Drug Rehab?

In 2000, ODB was legally mandated to go to residential drug rehab for one year. After 10 months, however, he had a disagreement with the staff. In October 2000, ODB fled rehab and spent one month as a fugitive. 

ODB was ultimately found and arrested when he stopped to sign autographs for a group of fans.

It’s unclear whether he received or sought out any other form of addiction treatment beyond his court-ordered rehab stay.

Recovery Is Possible

Ol’ Dirty Bastard likely lived with drug addiction most of his life, and his untimely death is a tragic reminder of the dangers of mixing cocaine with opioids.

Lifelong drug use doesn’t need to end in tragedy, however, and recovery is possible with professional help, motivation, and ongoing support. 

To learn how we address cocaine and opioid addiction in both inpatient and outpatient settings, please contact us today.