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As a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol' Dirty Bastard's bizarre, free-form rants added both comic relief and a dangerous unpredictability to the group's chemistry. ODB's RZA-produced solo debut Return to the 36 Chambers stretches his schtick over a full album, which if anything makes him sound even more unbalanced. Long before the album ends, it's clear that ODB has emptied his bag of tricks -- loose, off-the-beat raps that sometimes don't even rhyme, unbelievably graphic vulgarity, gonzo off-key warbling (which sounds a little like Biz Markie as a mental patient), and general goofing off. Yet within that role as hardcore rap's clown prince of psychosis, ODB is pretty damned entertaining. His leaps in association are often as disturbing as they are funny, whether they're couched in scatological detail or not; they certainly don't make his widely publicized erratic behavior seem at all surprising. And, despite the unstructured feel dominating most of the album, there are a fair share of hooks, and two absolutely killer singles in "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Brooklyn Zoo." Certainly, there's no reason for the album to be as long as it is, considering the dull filler toward the end. But, even though Return to the 36 Chambers might not be the most earth-shattering piece of the Wu-Tang puzzle, it's an infectious party record which proves that, despite his limitations, Ol' Dirty Bastard has the charisma to carry an album on his own.
© Steve Huey /TiVo
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Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Ethan Ryman, RecordingEngineer - Jay Nicholas, Assistant Mixing Engineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Producer, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - D. Harris, Writer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer - True Master, Producer, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Ethan Ryman, RecordingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Al Jackson, Jr., Writer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Booker T. Jones, Writer - Donald Dunn, Writer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Ethan Ryman, RecordingEngineer - Steven Cropper, Writer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - GZA, Writer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - Method Man, Rapper Vocals, Writer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Raekwon The Chef, Rapper Vocals - Raekwon, Writer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer - Deden Sumandani, Assistant Mixing Engineer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - GZA, Writer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Tim Latham, RecordingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Martin Czembor, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - The Genious, Rapper Vocals - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Killah Priest, Rapper Vocals - RZA, Writer - Odeon, Assistant Mixing Engineer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer, CoProducer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Producer, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer, AssistantEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Zu Keeper, Rapper Vocals - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer, AssistantEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Brian Miller, Assistant Mixing Engineer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Producer, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Ethan Ryman, Producer, RecordingEngineer - Jay Nicholas, Assistant Mixing Engineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, Rapper Vocals, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Killah Priest, Rapper Vocals - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, Rapper Vocals, MixingEngineer - David Sealy, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer - Master Killer, Rapper Vocals
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, Rapper Vocals, Writer, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - GZA, Writer - U-God, Writer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - 12 O'Clock, Rapper Vocals - Ghostface Killah, Writer, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - Method Man, Writer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Prodigal Son, Rapper Vocals - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Killer Priest, Rapper Vocals - Lord Buddah Monk, Rapper Vocals - Murdoc, Rapper Vocals - Zoo Keeper, Rapper Vocals - 60 Second Assassin, Rapper Vocals - Raekwon, Writer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - RZA, Writer - Brother J, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Shorty Shit Stain, Rapper Vocals - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, Rapper Vocals, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, Producer, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - Method Man, Rapper Vocals, Writer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - John Wydrycs, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Jay Nicholas, Assistant Mixing Engineer - David Sealy, AssistantEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
The RZA, MixingEngineer - Ol' Dirty Bastard, Rapper Vocals, Writer, MainArtist, MixingEngineer - Dante Ross, ExecutiveProducer - Ghostface Killah, ExecutiveProducer - Tom Coyne, MasteringEngineer - JACK HERSCA, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Oli Grant, ExecutiveProducer - Jimmie Lee, Assistant Mixing Engineer, AssistantEngineer - RZA, Writer - Buddah Monk, MixingEngineer - Mitchell "Divine" Diggs, ExecutiveProducer - Big Dore, Producer
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment.
Album review
As a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Ol' Dirty Bastard's bizarre, free-form rants added both comic relief and a dangerous unpredictability to the group's chemistry. ODB's RZA-produced solo debut Return to the 36 Chambers stretches his schtick over a full album, which if anything makes him sound even more unbalanced. Long before the album ends, it's clear that ODB has emptied his bag of tricks -- loose, off-the-beat raps that sometimes don't even rhyme, unbelievably graphic vulgarity, gonzo off-key warbling (which sounds a little like Biz Markie as a mental patient), and general goofing off. Yet within that role as hardcore rap's clown prince of psychosis, ODB is pretty damned entertaining. His leaps in association are often as disturbing as they are funny, whether they're couched in scatological detail or not; they certainly don't make his widely publicized erratic behavior seem at all surprising. And, despite the unstructured feel dominating most of the album, there are a fair share of hooks, and two absolutely killer singles in "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Brooklyn Zoo." Certainly, there's no reason for the album to be as long as it is, considering the dull filler toward the end. But, even though Return to the 36 Chambers might not be the most earth-shattering piece of the Wu-Tang puzzle, it's an infectious party record which proves that, despite his limitations, Ol' Dirty Bastard has the charisma to carry an album on his own.
© Steve Huey /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:07:59
- Main artists: Ol Dirty Bastard
- Label: Rhino - Elektra
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 1995 Elektra Entertainment. ℗ 1995 Elektra Entertainment. Marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
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