Young Dirty Bastard Calls Dad ODB A "Genius," Criticizes Wu-Tang Show Casting

BY Erika Marie 4.5K Views
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Young Dirty Bastard
Nothing against the actor who portrayed his father, but he thinks they should have reached higher.

Proud son Young Dirty Bastard 's life is dedicated to maintaining his father's legacy. The rapper has followed in his father's footsteps and is continuing to pursue a music career, even recently releasing his impressive single "Bar Sun." YDB was recently featured on Growing Up Hip Hop New York where viewers were able to learn more about Ol' Dirty Bastard's son, and it's clear that YDB is the spitting image of his father.

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Although it's been 15 years since the world lost the Wu-Tang legend, the stories of Ol' Dirty Bastard continue to flow. YDB sat down with AllHipHop to clear up misconceptions about his dad while praising his good deeds in the process. "My father always gave back," YDB said. "Let's say it's cold outside. The children gon'  eat. He gave 'em all the money out his pockets. They called him a dirty mothaf*cka, but he's the cleanest  one in his heart. He was a genius. People got him confused. And he was a leader, too."

The subject of Hulu's hit series Wu-Tang: an American Saga came up and it was mentioned that TJ Atoms, the actor who portrayed ODB, mentioned that he spent time with YDB to learn more about the rapper. YDB corrected the host and said, "We never spent no days together. Keep it real with you." He said that the actor asked "to chill" but that was as far as it went. "First of all, that's my family," YDB said. "If anything, we're supposed to pick who we want to play the role. That was orchestrated from a higher level that, you know, it was orchestrated behind doors the wrong way on my behalf."

"I think they should have definitely picked me," the rapper added. "Since I play the role every day. Life." He added, "To get anybody to do it and not reach to the highest actor on the pedestal at the time. I would have called Denzel [Washington], you know what I'm saying. He would have said no, but I would have called somebody else. I would have did that first before doing that." 

YDB also admitted that he wasn't impressed with TJ Atoms's portrayal of his father. The rapper said his mother is "pissed at it" because "he looks more like a goofball. My father wasn't no goofball." He stated once again that his father is a leader and he can't be seen leading anything in the series. Watch Young Dirty Bastard's interview in full below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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