The late Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s energetic and mosaic offspring, Young Dirty Bastard, is looking to fulfill his father’s legacy by carving more space for the Jones’ brand. These days, the budding entrepreneur and MC has his hands full with new music and business ventures that will surely add more dowry for next generation of DBs.
It’s been four years since YDB released his project, A Dirty Tomorrow: The Legacy Lives On. But don’t think that Young Dirty B has been sitting around waiting for blessings to magically appear before him. He’s definitely been tapped into into his grind.
“He has about ten albums done,” said Divine Everlasting, Young Dirty’s manager. “We’re going to hit them with a few singles before dropping an EP.”
Sitting comfortably on a navy blue love seat inside one of VIBE‘s tidy conference rooms, YDB, rocking all black, speaks ecstatically about his new single, “Bar Sun,” and his forthcoming not-yet-titled album.
“There’s an album coming next year,” Young Dirty said. “End of February, or in March. I think enough people know about us, to where I can do this myself without a label or investors. The album is powerful. It’s an uplifting feeling. And it’s not mind control. After this, you might want to go read a book.”
Young DB took a break from his daily duties to chat with VIBE about his Young Dirty Beverage company, recording with the Second Generation of Wu, as well as some books he’s reading, and more.
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VIBE: Tell me about this new single, “Bar Sun.”
Young Dirty Bastard: “Bar Sun” is Born Allah Rule Save Our Universe Now. “Bar Sun,” it’s basically my name. A lot of people don’t know me. So this is giving them another look at me. People always hear me doing my pop’s sh*t, but I have a little talent, too. I just want people to hear it.
Are you God-body?
I’m just me, man.
Does it get tiring, always answering questions about your dad?
I expect that. Back when it was kings and princes the princes were always compared to their father, because you are your father. You can’t separate that. People compare the heavens to the clouds, but the clouds never get tired. They never have weight carried on them. The planes just go through. It’s just like that.
You say a lot of people don’t know you? Who are you?
I’m god. Every day I wake up knowing the truth. I’m still here. Any day we can die. We’re lucky to wake up. That’s always a big question: ‘how do we wake up, and continue to work?’
You guys, 2nd Generation Wu, dropped “7 O.D.” It seems like it just came out of nowhere. What’s the deal with the crew?
Well, 2nd Generation Wu is the movement. We don’t really have a name yet. That sh*t is about to be something else. That’s been in the works since we were babies. We’d go to the studio with our pops, and just being around the manifestation of it. That’s what it grew to.
Who is exactly part of 2nd Generation Wu?
It’s U-God’s son iNTeLL, Method Man’s son PXWER, Ghostface’s son SUN GOD, and me.
What’s the label situation with 2nd Generation?
Right now, it looks like someone is going to buy into us. But we can do it like stocks. I don’t think no one can really have us, have us. But we’re definitely going to be open for business. We all have mad songs already, but as a whole we’re still venturing with it.
Even with 2nd Generation Wu, do you think people will want to hear you guys over RZA-like production?
I think for the older generation, they want that catering, but for the younger generation we can do whatever we want. As long as we stay with that lyrical content we gonna win.
Divine Everlasting: RZA’s mind is another space. He don’t care about music. He’s busy doing movies.
Young Dirty Bastard: He’s still doing music, but… he’s busy with movies.
How is it working with them, 2nd Generation Wu? What are you guys learning from one another?
Well, I’m learning that I can go through crazy obstacles in life. I just learned that the human body is more than they say it is. I had a few times that I made it through cancer. I made it through a heart attack. The thing about the heart attack, the first birth of the heart attack is cool, it’s the heaviest time but it still continues. If you eat anything, it goes into that shit. And the heart flutters.
How old are you?
I’m a grown old man. Some babies don’t make it. So to make this far is a blessing.
You mentioned earlier that you had a heart attack?
Nobody knows. When it happened they called it food poisoning.
Divine Everlasting: People have heart attacks all the time and don’t even know it. If your chest hurts for like five minutes that’s a heart attack.
Young Dirty Bastard: The day it happened, my sister-in-law died of one. She was only 24-years-old. It skipped me and went straight to her. I didn’t go to the hospital. I thought they were going to kill me. They definitely gonna murder me in the hospital. So I didn’t go.
Ok. I’m hearing you. I’m listening to you. What are you reading?
I skim through things. I have a few books that I just got, How to Win [Friends and Influence People]. The New Civilization 8.1. RZA gave it to me. When I’m at the airport, I’ll grab something and put in the house. I have babies running around so I tell my woman not to let them read Disney books.
Why don’t you want them reading Disney books?
It’s a lot of things that you can’t really physically do, and in them books, they don’t try to make you do things, but you sort of adjust to what they say in the books. Donald Duck or Mickey [Mouse], he’s a magician. Come on, man. That’s what they give us. That’s the trick they keep us in. One skim of a book can take your life to another level.
50 Cent’s 50th Law with Robert Green was alright. I also like 48 Laws of Power.
You like 48 Laws of Power? I find a lot of problems with that book.
Having an eagle eye, staying focused on the prize, genuinely loving yourself, and not taking things for granted, sure, that’s good stuff.
But it also says take credit for other peoples work, keep people dependent on you, pose as a friend work as spy. There’s a lot of unhealthy stuff in there, too.
Divine: If you read the 48 Laws of Power with proper understanding, you can utilize it for the right things. That book teaches people how to misuse people, but if you have a proper understanding when you read it you know how to take the best part for yourself and learn how to utilize people instead of misusing people. Remember, every lie has some truth it in. And there’s no such thing as a good book or bad book, you have take whatever information is there and take the best part for yourself. The Bible has bad stuff in it, but there’s still truth in in there.
Young Dirty Bastard: I’m a skimmer. I skim my way through life.
So tell me about your business ventures.
Young Determined Bankers. Hopefully, it’s gonna be bigger than than a bank. I was trying to get it to be a bank. And i be telling a bunch of investors that there’s an opportunity to do it now. Every time we pass a bank it’s like: ‘Mommy, why do we have to give our money to a bank. Why don’t we just keep it [our money] at home?’ We keep giving it to them, but they don’t care about us.
We also have a beer company coming out in about a week. The company is Young Dirty Beverages. The beer is called Young Dirty Brew. It’s honey wheat ale, and the honey is raw, and the beer is brewed in Brooklyn. The beans are from Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Why beer?
To keep it real with you. It goes all the way back to when my father was drinking 40oz. That’s the only reason I accepted it. Wu-Tang isn’t really opposed to doing things like that. But Young Dirty, I got to get to the money.