Ol' Dirty Bastard's Family Claims It's Getting No Support and No Money

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Nov 14, 2014

With yesterday (November 13) having marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard, the late rapper's family has weighed in on both its plans to keep his legacy alive and the financial struggles it's faced since his passing.

Speaking with XXL, ODB's widow Icelene Jones noted that there had been plans to prepare a tributary celebration for her late husband in New York, but that the family had "no support, no money to make it happen."

"I feel bad because a lot of things aren't going our way," she said. "This is the 10 year anniversary, and we were supposed to have a big thing in New York. We wanted to do different things but got no support, no money to make it happen. It's just sad. Everybody else is making money except for us. We don't have any help, we don't have any support. Everybody who helps us gave up."

Daughter Taniqua Jones noted there have been difficulties over the years, saying, "It's a couple battles that we've been going through this whole time."

She added: "It's always someone taking. It's a big fight sometimes. It's so much. It's just a lot of fighting and struggle for the simple things that [are] supposed to be easy."

In 2013, the family issued a cease and desist order to the Rock the Bells festival over plans to have a hologram of Ol' Dirty Bastard perform onstage.

The rapper's son, Bar-Son Jones, who also raps under the name Young Dirty Bastard, has hinted, however, that there are plans for more commemorative projects. According to Bar-Son, last year's documentary, Dirty: Platinum Edition, will be followed with books, a reality show, a clothing line and another film.

"In this movie I kind of want to transform him into a real black superhero that had powers," Bar-Son said. "His ability was to rap but he has strength. But when he raps on the stage I want all the people to feel that energy. I want people to understand that he was more than just a rapper. He was for the universe. He was for the reform of different nations. Making everything work; that's what he's about."

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