Wu-Tang Clan Pay Heartfelt Tribute to Ol’ Dirty Bastard During Aftershock Festival Set

Every group needs a great wild card. Ol’ Dirty Bastard was that for the Wu-Tang Clan. While Raekwon, GZA, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Inspectah Deck exchanged witty punchlines, ODB’s wild energy jumped out from the pack. When he passed away in 2004 from an accidental overdose at 36, he left a massive void in the group. Consequently, the Wu honor him at every possible turn. This year’s Aftershock Festival in Sacramento was no exception.

During their set on Friday, October 2nd, they dedicated their set to the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. One clip shared online showed ODB’s face plastered on the big screen as Wu-Tang Clan performed his hit single “Got Your Money” featuring Kelis.

Although no one could truly replicate the late Brooklyn legend’s singular energy, his son Barsun Unique Jones, aka Young Dirty Bastard, filled in for his father. It’s a heartwarming like-father-like-son moment that keeps the spirit of ODB alive within Wu-Tang. Check out the heartwarming tribute below:

The Wu performed in a pretty blockbuster night for hip-hop on an otherwise rock-heavy festival. They performed before Limp Bizkit’s headlining performance that turned the crowd upside down. Additionally, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Three 6 Mafia, $uicideboy$, and Insane Clown Posse occupied the lineup on Friday.

Wu-Tang Clan Pay Homage to the Late Ol’ Dirty Bastard During Festival Performance

Wu-Tang’s heartwarming tribute came on the heels of the late rapper being honored with his own street in Brooklyn. Putnam Avenue was renamed ODB Jones Way to celebrate his impact on hip-hop. It’s the same street his grandmother lived on, and a mural of his debut album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version exists. “I’m so honored, my mother’s honored. Thank you,” ODB’s oldest brother Ramsey Jones said at the time.

While Wu-Tang Clan have mostly existed in harmony with one another, that wasn’t true for the group they just went on tour with. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony were supporting the New York legends in their final Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber tour. However, Layzie Bone seemed to have bad blood with the rest of the group and was left behind accordingly.

“I had some issues with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony earlier this year, true enough,” he shared earlier this year. “You know, I wasn’t on some shows, and people who went to the shows earlier saw that I wasn’t there. But I thought after the Hollywood Walk of Fame, everything was all good.”

Krayzie Bone, on the other hand, told Layzie he was always welcome to join Wu-Tang Clan and the rest of Bone Thugs. “We told you we still had your money! Waiting for you,” Krayzie said in a deleted post. “You need to just bring your a** on tour, because it’s not that serious.”

Thankfully, they finally resolved matters and had a homecoming reunion in Ohio.

(Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage)

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