Two years after it was announced, the first authorized Ol’ Dirty Bastard documentary finally has an air date. The two-hour doc, Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys, is slated to premiere on A&E TV on August 25 at 9 p.m. ET before hitting streaming the next day.
According to a show description from the network, the first official feature doc on the late Grammy-nominated Wu-Tang Clan co-founder and solo star (born Russell Jones) will feature never-before-seen footage from his persona archive shot by wife Icelene Jones. It also promises “access to his closest friends and family, this culture-defining special humanizes ODB as a man, a father, and a husband like never before,” including interviews with Mariah Carey, Wu-Tang bandmates Raekwon and Ghostface Killah and son Bar-Sun Jones, as well as his parents and record executives.
The doc was co-directed by Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning Director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI, Black Art: In The Absence of Light) with son Jason Pollard (Get Me Roger Stone, Bitchin’ The Sound and Fury of Rick James), with the two men promising to give fans “an intimate picture of ODB’s life and reflecting on his lasting impact on music and culture.”
“Part of A&E’s DNA is telling the stories of iconic people who have left a lasting impact on culture and the world,” said A&E vice president and head of programming Elaine Frontain Bryant in a statement. “Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys does just that with intimate, never-before-seen footage and interviews with the people who knew him best. The documentary tells his story while celebrating his life and his lasting impact on hip-hop and the music industry.”
Wife Icelene Jones added, “I am so happy to have brought this documentary about my husband’s life to the screen. He was and is an inspiration to my family, children, and fans across the world. It’s been amazing to work on this project with my partners at Four Screens, as well as Pulse and A&E.” Jones, who is the administrator of her late husband’s estate, added, “Like all of hip-hop, I have missed his energy. This project has let me know that he is alive and well in all of our hearts.”
ODB died at 35 of a drug-induced heart attack in 2004.
Watch the trailer for Ol’ Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys below.