RZA to produce forthcoming Ol’ Dirty Bastard biopic

[Sir Artsdradamus]

Ol’ Dirty Bastard will soon be the focus of a new biopic from Sony’s Columbia Pictures. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the late rapper’s cousin and fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA is already onboard to produce, and the search for a director is in motion.

A founding member of Wu-Tang, ODB was an instrumental part of the group’s numerous albums, including the seminal 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). He also launched his own solo career, releasing full-lengths such as 2009’s Message to the Other Side, Osirus Part 1.

(Read: Ranking + Dissected: Wu-Tang Clan)

Like his discography, ODB’s rap sheet was similarly extensive. The rapper born Russell Tyrone Jones was arrested multiple times (shoplifting, criminal threatening, drug possession, etc.), convicted of second degree assault for an attempted robbery, and also served time behind bars. ODB died in November 2004 from an accidental drug overdose.

RZA has long been attached to various ODB film projects that ultimately were never released. In 2016, he was involved with a biopic featuring a script penned by his and ODB’s first cousin. Although it didn’t see the light of day, at that time RZA spoke to Rolling Stone about Hollywood’s interest in hip-hop-centric films in the wake of the success of Straight Outta Compton:

“Straight Outta Compton showed that hip-hop is a marketplace in cinema,” says the producer. “I always believed that the art we was creating was audio-visual, and it was headed towards visual-audio. And that’s why you see me in this world — my own heart drove me here — and I’m glad that a movie like that breaks out and does such numbers that it’s almost undeniable. It showed that with the proper team and marketing, many of us out here who grew up on this music would love to see the inside makings of those stories.”

While still releasing music, RZA has also made plenty of headway in the film world, co-directing 2012’s The Man with the Iron Fists alongside Eli Roth.

[MikeAll]

Ol’ Dirty Bastard will soon be the focus of a new biopic from Sony’s Columbia Pictures. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the late rapper’s cousin and fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA is already onboard to produce, and the search for a director is in motion.

A founding member of Wu-Tang, ODB was an instrumental part of the group’s numerous albums, including the seminal 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). He also launched his own solo career, releasing full-lengths such as 2009’s Message to the Other Side, Osirus Part 1.

(Read: Ranking + Dissected: Wu-Tang Clan)

Like his discography, ODB’s rap sheet was similarly extensive. The rapper born Russell Tyrone Jones was arrested multiple times (shoplifting, criminal threatening, drug possession, etc.), convicted of second degree assault for an attempted robbery, and also served time behind bars. ODB died in November 2004 from an accidental drug overdose.

RZA has long been attached to various ODB film projects that ultimately were never released. In 2016, he was involved with a biopic featuring a script penned by his and ODB’s first cousin. Although it didn’t see the light of day, at that time RZA spoke to Rolling Stone about Hollywood’s interest in hip-hop-centric films in the wake of the success of Straight Outta Compton:

“Straight Outta Compton showed that hip-hop is a marketplace in cinema,” says the producer. “I always believed that the art we was creating was audio-visual, and it was headed towards visual-audio. And that’s why you see me in this world — my own heart drove me here — and I’m glad that a movie like that breaks out and does such numbers that it’s almost undeniable. It showed that with the proper team and marketing, many of us out here who grew up on this music would love to see the inside makings of those stories.”

While still releasing music, RZA has also made plenty of headway in the film world, co-directing 2012’s The Man with the Iron Fists alongside Eli Roth.

I could see this working. TBH Im hesitant for a WTC biopic because of crazy expectations and too much to cover in a single film. Spotlighting only one core member especially one w a story like ODB's is focused yet entertaining enough! Hope that it does get made and released...

[MikeAll]

Just adding some extra info;
https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.48368/t...lly-on-its-way

[Frank Drebin]

Didnt read the article but how u gonna replicate odb with actors? His son tried to be him and was shit

[Sir Artsdradamus]

Ummm. That’s why it’s called acting.

[Sir Artsdradamus]

Ummm. That’s why it’s called acting.

[brock]

[Frank Drebin]

Ummm. That’s why it’s called acting.

There's two good black actors in history

[Kutman]

Ummm. That’s why it’s called acting.

.

[soul controller]

There's two good black actors in history

Idris Elba as ODB would be fun...or maybe Wesley Snipes..

[David Daniel Davis]

Idris Elba could actually work. He is a pretty boy though, so the makeup department would really have to rough him up to look like Ol' Dirty Bastard.

[MikeAll]

Wasnt there talk of Michael K Wiliams playing ODB before?

[Kutman]

Michael K. Williams would be monster!

[BigSchnikkel]

You know who's going to play ODB?
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[MikeAll]

You know who's going to play ODB?
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LOL

That's only right! Perhaps Michael K Williams could play the older ODB when hes in jail and bloated form the drugs?