Brooklyn street named after Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard

A street in Brooklyn has been renamed in honour of the late Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Ol' Dirty Bastard.

The corner of Franklin Avenue and Putnam Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, often shortened to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, has now been co-named 'ODB Jones Way' following a ceremony on Sunday (July 26), attended by the friends and family of Ol' Dirty Bastard, AKA Russell Tyrone Jones.

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According to Bushwick Daily, the block was renamed following a decision from Council Member Chi Ossé to honour ODB's "lasting impact on music, culture, and the borough of Brooklyn". In 2023, New York City Council designated November 15 as "Ol’ Dirty Bastard Day".

While ODB - who died as a result of an overdose in 2004 - was born and raised in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, the newly-dedicated corner is directly in front of a famed mural of his 1994 debut solo album 'Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version'.

In a video captured during the ceremony by photographer Howard Weiss, ODB's brother, Ramsey Jones, said: "I am very honoured to be here because my grandmother’s house is on this block on Putnam Avenue, right next to where the mural is."

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Ol' Dirty Bastard's loved ones were given replica versions of the street sign during the ceremony, while ODB's 'Brooklyn Zoo' was emitted from a soundsystem on the street, Billboard reports.

Wu-Tang Clan paid tribute to their co-founder ahead of the ceremony, writing: "Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Unique Ason. Big Baby Jesus. Call him whatever you want — Bed-Stuy is calling it ODB Jones Way. We heard you. We’ll keep it raw."

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, get in touch with her here.