Ol' Dirty Bastard:
Osirus

Release Date: 24 January 2005

Reviewed By: Sheila Mutenga

1. Rahzel

2. Pop Shots - Wu Tang

3. Go Go Go

4. F**k Y'all

5. Out Of Control

6. Stand Up

7. Run Dirty Run

8. Who Can Make It Happen Like Dirt?

9. High In THe Clouds - ft, Inspektah Deck

10. Fire

11. P*ssy Keep Calling

12. Down South - ft, Killa Mike

13. Untitled

14. Cake Up - ft, Baby Sham

15. If Y'all Want War - ft, Ghostface, Royal Flush

16. Rahzel Skit

17. Move Back - ft, Drag On, Jae Millz, Cardan & The Lenox Ave. Boys (Bonus Cut)

The Game - The Documentary
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When I heard Ol’ Dirty Bastard was dead, I knew it was just a matter of time before people would start trying to make money off any unreleased material they could find. I just wasn’t expecting the first person to be his mom! Maybe she thought the money would help ease the loss of her son… She teamed up with Jarred Weisfeld to bring us a mixtape under the JC record label, despite ODB being signed to Roc-A-Fella records at the time of his death. All the people who were worried any unreleased material would be butchered Tupac-style can relax; it’s actually pretty good!

A member of the Wu Tang Clan, ODB managed to release two hit solo albums, despite spending time in jail and rehab. His private life was almost as outrageous as his music. ODB achieved notoriety for his shocking, witty lines and the energy with which he delivered them. This album shows that apart from his name, (now Dirt McGirt,) nothing’s changed. ‘Osirus’ cannot fail to astonish people with songs about orgasms and another starting with “F*** you” sung repeatedly.

‘Pop Shots’, set to be the next single, tells of ODB’s introduction to drugs. Produced by DJ Premier, it’s a little slower than expected, but his scratching drives the song along.

For hardcore ODB fans, ‘Dirty Dirty’ is a real treat! It has everything that people will remember him for, opening with a signature howl, “Oooooooooooooh”, before ODB spits his characteristic, nasty, off-the-wall lyrics. Even Rhymefest’s touching tribute towards the end of the track can’t fail to bring a smile to your face.

The highlight of the album for me is ‘Dirty Run’ where ODB intermittently sings the hook from Case’s old single ‘Touch Me, Tease Me’. The track starts with a slow, comical version of this hook in ODB’s gritty tones, exploding over a simple but funky guitar riff, creating the perfect backing for ODB’s verbal assault on “b*tches acting like they’re so damn fine” and “needled*ck n****s”. Formed out of ODB’s understated passion for sex, this track provides plenty of entertainment through his lyrics alone.

‘Stand up’ also takes samples from old hits, but this time they’re ODB’s. Samples from ‘Got Your Money’ feature throughout this track. This is a bold move but the way he weaves them into the song shows real meaning and a hint of genius. This is a real party track brought together by a throbbing, powerful bass line.

The woeful moans at the start of ‘P*ssy keep calling’ set the mood for one of the more laid-back, but undoubtedly lewd, tracks. This is a dark, raunchy song with cheeky lines like, “Come sit on mini-me/ make Doctor Evil smile”! The gloomy riff and insistent moans add a hint of sincerity, ending with passionate cries of “p*ssy keep calling me!” (Is it just me, or does that sound like a lame excuse for playing around?!) If you like this track, check out ‘Don’t stop Ma’ which is just as smutty and bold…

Even with several other artists and producers, there’s enough of ODB left on the album for it to be a real tribute to him. The attitude, lyrics and energy of this album is classic ODB. ‘Osirus’ shows that despite all the obstacles he faced, ODB never lost his talent and was probably on the verge of a huge comeback. His mystifying lyrics are the real highlight with lines like “the type of p*ssy that start off a conga line” and “get a butt like an ashtray” – lyrics which left me thinking, ‘What is he on about?! Only a mind warped enough to come up with such obscure lines, could deliver them so convincingly.

A line from ‘Move back’ sums up this album perfectly: “Love it or hate it, you know you’re gonna respect it”.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Top three tracks:
2) Dirty Dirty (featuring Rhymefest)
7) Dirty Run
11) P*ssy Keep Calling

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