The Dirty Version: On Stage, in the Studio, and in the Streets with Ol' Dirty Bastard

A decade after his death at the age of thirty-five, Wu-Tang Clan's Ol' Dirty Bastard lives on in epic legend. Now, Dirty's friend since childhood, Buddha Monk—a collaborator onstage and in the studio with the raucous and renegade group that forever altered the hip-hop world—reveals the truth about the complex and talented performer. From Dirty's days with Buddha on the streets of Brooklyn to the meteoric rise of Wu-Tang's star, from his bouts in prison to his court-mandated rehab, from his favorite kind of pizza to his struggles with fame and success, Buddha tells the real story—The Dirty Version—of the legendary rapper.

"Monk captures [ODB's] charisma and charm, but also the joy and pain that fame brought [him], as well as the drugs, the women and the demise. It's a great work in honor of an individual who tried to walk the best line he could.” —Ebony

“Cuts through the urban legends to present more complex sides to the infamous icon.”—i-D Magazine

“An eye-witness account about the life and times of the larger-than-life character.”—Philadelphia City Paper

“Monk is a genial narrator and provides an authentic look at the N.Y.C. hip-hop scene [and] a unique perspective on the troubled life of an intriguing artist.” —Publishers Weekly