Usually a two-album career doesn't warrant a best-of collection, but, then again,
Ol' Dirty Bastard
isn't your usual artist.
The Dirty Story
hit the streets in 2001, just as
Ol' Dirty
was in the headlines yet again for ongoing drug/legal problems. This is far from a mandatory addition to the troubled rapper's catalog, and feels more like an exploitative attempt to bank on the news headlines. You get the better moments from
's debut,
Return to the 36 Chambers
--
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya,"
"Brooklyn Zoo,"
"Raw Hide,"
"Proteck Ya Neck II in the Zoo"
-- and a few of the highlights from
Nigga Please
:
"I Can't Wait,"
the
Neptunes
-produced tracks
"Got Your Money"
and
"Recognize,"
's
Rick James
cover,
"Cold Blooded."
Furthermore, since this album only features 11 songs and no interludes, it's a pleasant listen -- no lulls, no filler, and refreshingly brief. Of course, anyone with one or more of
's albums will find little justification for buying this. In essence,
is a distillation of two albums with the
Mariah Carey
collaboration
"Fantasy"
thrown in as a bonus. As such,
The Best of Ol' Dirty Bastard
is the perfect one-stop listen for anyone curious about the
story, particularly those who don't already have the otherwise excellent
album. ~ Jason Birchmeier