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Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA has revealed a previously unheard Ol Dirty Bastard track from 1994 with Wu collaborator Buddha Monk called Bitches Better Obey Me.
RZA was sifting through old files on his computer when he stumbled upon the unreleased ODB tune, which he has now polished up to delight fans of the unique rapping talent.
It was a raw track – like most of the unpredictable, manic artist’s work – but the mix of ODB’s hyper rhymes and a snake charmer melody lifted from “The Streets of Cairo” (the “There’s a place in France” song) convinced RZA to dust it off and unleash it on the public.
“We were recording his first album [Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version] and he was in the studio having a good time and recorded the song,” RZA tells Rolling Stone of the track.
“He was fuckin’ buggin’ out on this song that night. Dirty felt that anything he made was supposed to be released. I was more critical of what we released. And even though some people may listen to his first album and go, ‘Shit, this is crazy, this song fits right in.’
“To me, there was a method to the madness of what we did. And with the stuff that didn’t make the album, there was a clear reason why in the narrative of what I was striving to create with his style.”
The rapper-producer has revisited and cleaned it up, retitled it Obey Me and partnered with portable speaker company Boombotix, to release it – now available to hear on the Boombot REX speaker.
For RZA, the song reminds him of Wu-Tang’s early years, just as they were coming together, a time when “money and fame didn’t enter us” and the group hadn’t yet encountered the infighting and ego control that would plague the group after their massive success.
“After a while, you start creating with an intent,” RZA says. “This was just us creating with the freedom of making music and this song is definitely a glimpse into that mindset.
“I’m hearing Ason just be Ason and that’s something I miss from him. It reminds you of the unity and camaraderie of the Wu-Tang. We cross-pollinated ourselves so much because there was a brotherhood, a community of unity of hip-hop. And this song gives me a glimpse on what made us unique and great.”
RZA notes that there is plenty more unreleased material in the vaults, this may be the beginning of more musical archaeology. “I’ve been going through some of the old reels and finding shit,” RZA says. “The Wu-Tang catalogue is so big, even I don’t know what’s been released or not.”
You can listen to “Obey Me” in the video portal here.
The video features ODB’s son aka Ol’ Dirty Bastard Jr. with special cameo from Shash’U. Directed & Edited by @ManuallFocus Media LLC / Cinematographer @SeanHHoran.