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ODB’s story is legendary yet tragic. The late Wu-Tang Clan icon was present from the collective’s humble formation in the New York borough of Staten Island and rapped when the Clan only consisted of himself and his cousins RZA and GZA under the name Force of the Imperial Master.

Following the group’s name change, family members, locals, and friends joined the group, and before long, The Wu-Tang Clan became a phenomenon. Following their 1993 hit ‘Protect Ya Neck’, the ensemble was on the airwaves, and based out of Brooklyn’s Firehouse Studios, the crew went on to garner much attention.

Although New Yorkers loved the entire Clan, some crew members were regarded higher than others. Raekwon and Method Man went on to have extremely successful careers as solo recording artists. However, before his death in 2004, ODB was arguably the most prosperous member of the collective following its slow but sure dissipation during the early 2000s.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard was known for his abrasive, direct delivery that could dissect and destroy even the most lyrical MCs. Many of the clan’s members were profound lyricists. However, ODB brought dark humour, dynamism and a vigorous edge to the hip-hop that was welcome.

Fans loved ODB’s quirky nature, but sadly, his manic, intense delivery was coupled with frequent drug use, which unfortunately led to his demise. In 2004, the rapper died of an overdose, and his post-mortem toxicology report showed a lethal mixture of cocaine and the prescription opioid tramadol was responsible for his death. However, in 2000, the signs were already there when the Wu-Tang Clan artist got arrested by police at a McDonald’s drive-through in Philadelphia after relapsing and abandoning his stay in rehab.

At the turn of the millennium, the troubled musician was made to check in to a drug rehabilitation centre in Pasadena after breaching the conditions of his probation, which were issued after the emcee made terrorist threats and got caught wearing a bulletproof vest. At the peak of his drug use, ODB got arrested nine times in the 13 months and was a wanted man in New York.

Unfortunately, the ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ creator didn’t care and, in 1999, turned up to the release party for the Wu-Tang Clan’s new album, The W, at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. ODB was a target of a manhunt in New York and, at the party, told fans, “I can’t stay onstage too long tonight — the cops is after me.”

That said, shortly after his launch party appearance in Midtown Manhattan, Ol’ Dirty Bastard drove to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where a policewoman happened to spot him in a 1991 Mitsubishi Galant with New Jersey license plates. Unfortunately for ODB, there was a coordinated response by the Philadelphia police department, who arrested him on-site outside the drive-through and within hours, he was sent to New York for trial.