A new documentary about the late Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard is in the works, as The Hollywood Reporter notes. The working title of the film is Biography: Ol’ Dirty Bastard and it’ll be co-directed by Sam and Jason Pollard. According to a press release, the documentary will focus on Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s solo career and also examine his upbringing and his legacy.
A+E Networks has the worldwide distribution rights for the two-hour Biography: Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Pulse Films, Four Screens, and the Ol’ Dirty Bastard Estate are producing the documentary.
Icelene Jones—Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s widow and the sole executor of his estate—is providing never-before-seen personal archival footage for Biography. In a statement, she said: “I am thrilled to tell the full story of my husband. With this documentary the world will learn about the son, the husband, the father, and the artist. I’m proud of the team that we built, including Pulse, my producing partners Nicole Beckett and Messiah Jacobs at Four Screens, and our directing team, the Pollards.”
Earlier this year, it was reported that Jones is suing Wu-Tang Clan Productions for years of unpaid royalties. She claims that a 1992 recording agreement entitles Ol’ Dirty Bastard to 50 percent of net proceeds from publishing and recording royalties, as well as merchandising and videos. Jones is seeking at least $1 million in damages plus interest and attorneys’ fees.
Read Pitchfork’s Sunday Review of 1995’s Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version.
