Ol' Dirty Bastard

Solo Artist

Photo: MTV UK · CC BY 3.0
Active 1992-2004
Died 2004
Origin Fort Greene, New York
Albums 3
Tracks 41
Most frequent collaborator RZA · 22 tracks
Genres East Coast Hip HopHardcore Hip Hop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 41 of 41 tracks

Did Ol' Dirty Bastard write his own songs?

He is credited on all 41 tracks across his three studio albums and is the only writer on six of them. There is no track anywhere in the catalogue that he does not have his name on, which is rare for a rapper whose records lean this heavily on guests.

By the Numbers

3
Studio Albums
41
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
12
Years Active
87
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 41 / 41 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 41 tracks: how many Ol' Dirty Bastard wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Ol' Dirty Bastard has a writing credit100%
100%
Sole author0tracks0%
Co-written41tracks100%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Ol' Dirty Bastard's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 41 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)0%
Producer7%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Ol' Dirty Bastard's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
1995Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
1999Nigga Please
2005A Son Unique
Early · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, Nigga Please
100%
2000s
A Son Unique

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Ol' Dirty Bastard sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Ol' Dirty Bastard
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Aaliyah0%
Backstreet Boys25%
Monica34%
Billy Ray Cyrus47%
Dru Hill64%
Run-DMC81%
Method Man92%
100%Ol' Dirty Bastard
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Brooklyn Zoo
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Written by Ol' Dirty Bastard, Russell Jones
Co-wrote
Shimmy Shimmy Ya
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Written by Ol' Dirty Bastard, RZA, Russell Jones, Robert Diggs
Co-wrote
Got Your Money
Nigga Please
Written by Ol' Dirty Bastard, Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, Russell Jones, Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, Charles Edward Hugo
Co-wrote

Discography 3 albums

The Wu-Tang Clan albums are credited to the group and sit outside this catalogue, as do the posthumous compilations The Dirty Story and Osirus.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Photo of Ol' Dirty BastardOl' Dirty Bastard41 tracks
Photo of RZA22RZA, 22 tracks on Wu-Tang Clan's page Photo of RZA14Robert Diggs, 14 tracks EC4Ellery Chambers, 4 tracks TN4The Neptunes, 4 tracks Photo of Killah Priest3Killah Priest, 3 tracks BM3Buddha Monk, 3 tracks PW3Pharrell Williams, 3 tracks PL3Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, 3 tracks on Pharrell Williams's page IG3Irv Gotti, 3 tracks IL3Irving Lorenzo, 3 tracks 4D24th Disciple, 2 tracks TM2True Master, 2 tracks MM2Method Man, 2 tracks on Wu-Tang Clan's page R2Raekwon, 2 tracks on Wu-Tang Clan's page GK2Ghostface Killah, 2 tracks on Wu-Tang Clan's page ZK2Zu Keeper, 2 tracks SS2Shorty Shit Stain, 2 tracks CH2Chad Hugo, 2 tracks CE2Charles Edward Hugo, 2 tracks DE2Damon Elliott, 2 tracks G1GZA, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page ER1Ethan Ryman, 1 track MK1Masta Killa, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page LO1List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates#Buddha Monk, 1 track DC1Dennis Coles, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page OT1Odion Turner, 1 track PS1Prodigal Sunn, 1 track 6S160 Second Assassin, 1 track LR1Lamar Ruff, 1 track FC1Frederick Cuffie Jr., 1 track M1Murdoc, 1 track LO1List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates#12 O'Clock, 1 track CR1Chris Rock, 1 track MS1Mark Snow, 1 track MF1Martin Fulterman, 1 track DN1Dat Nigga Reb, 1 track RJ1Rick James, 1 track JA1James Ambrose Johnson Jr., 1 track K1Kelis, 1 track TG1Taiwan Green, 1 track MF1Mr. Fingers, 1 track LT1La the Darkman, 1 track RA1Raison Allah, 1 track LJ1Lason Jackson, 1 track 1O112 O'Clock, 1 track D1DL, 1 track IH1Irene Higginbotham, 1 track ED1Ervin Drake, 1 track DF1Dan Fisher, 1 track FP1Flavahood Productions, 1 track LM1Lil' Mo, 1 track ME1Missy Elliott, 1 track MA1Melissa Arnette Elliott, 1 track MR1Mark Ronson, 1 track M1M.O.P., 1 track JG1Jamal Grinnage, 1 track DP1DJ Premier, 1 track NM1No Malice, 1 track PT1Pusha T, 1 track GE1Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., 1 track TL1Terrence LeVarr Thornton, 1 track TC1The Clipse, 1 track DD1Dennis David Coles, 1 track on Wu-Tang Clan's page YC1Young Chris, 1 track CF1Christopher Francis Ries, 1 track R1Rockwilder, 1 track MG1Macy Gray, 1 track NR1Natalie Renée McIntyre, 1 track DW1Damon William Elliott, 1 track N1N.O.R.E., 1 track SB1Swizz Beatz, 1 track VJ1Victor James Santiago, Jr., 1 track KD1Kasseem Daoud Dean, 1 track DG1Dame Grease, 1 track JB1Joe Budden, 1 track JA1Joseph Anthony Budden II, 1 track B1Boola, 1 track R1Rhymefest, 1 track CA1Che Armond Smith, 1 track SD1Soul Diggaz, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. EC Ellery Chambers · TN The Neptunes · BM Buddha Monk

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

He is credited on all 41 of his studio tracks and is the only writer on six. RZA is the other name on 14 of them, all but one on the debut, and after that the writing rooms change completely: the Neptunes, Irv Gotti and Mark Ronson replace the Wu-Tang producers. The catalogue is small enough that nothing is lost in it.

Quick Facts

  • Self-writtenCredited on all 41 of his studio tracks
  • Written aloneSix tracks carry his name and no other
  • Main collaboratorRZA, credited as a writer on 14 tracks
  • CertificationsThe debut is certified platinum and Nigga Please gold
  • Biggest song"Got Your Money" with Kelis reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100
  • Other workFounding member of the Wu-Tang Clan

Creative Fingerprint

Credited on every track he ever released, with RZA on a third of them and nobody twice after that.

The Story

Russell Tyrone Jones was one of the nine founding members of the Wu-Tang Clan and the loosest voice in it. His 1995 debut is certified platinum and Nigga Please, four years later, gold. He died in New York City in November 2004, two days before his birthday, with a third album finished and shelved. It came out the following year as A Son Unique.

Awards & Recognition

Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album, for Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1996)
Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album, for Wu-Tang Forever with the Wu-Tang Clan (1998)
Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, for "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" with Pras and Mya (1999)

Frequently Asked Questions Ol' Dirty Bastard

Did Ol' Dirty Bastard write his own songs?
He is credited on all 41 tracks across his three studio albums and is the only writer on six of them. There is no track anywhere in the catalogue that he does not have his name on, which is rare for a rapper whose records lean this heavily on guests.
How many albums did he release?
Two in his lifetime: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version in 1995 and Nigga Please in 1999. A third, A Son Unique, was shelved and released after his death in 2005.
Who wrote "Got Your Money"?
Ol' Dirty Bastard with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, who also produced it. Kelis sings the hook and it reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100, his highest charting single.
How much did RZA write with him?
Fourteen tracks, all but one of them on the 1995 debut, which RZA also produced most of. After that the two of them share only one more song.
Was he in the Wu-Tang Clan?
Yes, as a founding member. The Wu-Tang albums are credited to the group and sit outside this catalogue.
Did he win a Grammy?
No. He was nominated three times: for Return to the 36 Chambers in 1996, for Wu-Tang Forever in 1998 and for "Ghetto Supastar" with Pras and Mya in 1999.
What is A Son Unique?
The album he finished before he died. It was shelved by the label and came out digitally in June 2005, with production from Mark Ronson, DJ Premier, RZA and the Neptunes.
When did he die?
In New York City in November 2004, two days before his birthday, with the third album already recorded.
Which album is he most alone on?
Return to the 36 Chambers, where five of the 15 tracks carry only his name. Nigga Please has none and A Son Unique has one.
Why is the catalogue so small?
Three albums and 41 tracks in nine years. Legal trouble and ill health kept him out of the studio for most of the period between the second album and his death.

Sources

Wikipedia: Ol' Dirty Bastard Wikipedia: Ol' Dirty Bastard discography