It's strange to think that after all the ridiculous tabloid fodder over the past decade (fathering 13 children, storming Shawn Colvin's acceptance speech at the 97'Grammy's and screaming that "Wu-Tang is for the children," shoplifting a 50 dollar pair of sneakers, making not one but TWO terrorist threats, being arrested while possessing 20 vials of crack cocaine, calling a female DA a "sperm donor," etc. etc.) O.D.B./Joe Bananas/Dirt McGirt/Dirt Dog/Unique Ason/Big Baby Jesus (my personal favorite alias)/Osirus/ actual birth name Russell Tyrone Jones, one third Wu-Tang Clan - founder and just plain ol' dirty dirty actually passed away after collapsing in a recording studio less than two months ago. It's a shame that Ol' Dirty didn't get to see The Osirus Mixtape come to fruition, because after listening to this posthumous release, it seems that O.D.B. was finally getting his rap career, if not his life, back on track.

If anything, The Osirus Mixtape should officially get the awful taste of 2002's horrendous The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones out of listeners mouths and ears (guest spots from Insane Clown Posse? What the fuck were they thinking?). While Osirus can't hold a candle to Return To The 36 Chambers or Nigga Please because of the second half's lame crunk laden production from "Chops For Chops," it's front-loaded first half is one hell of a fun time. Black Rob does an adequate job on "High In The Clouds," and Cappadonna, arguably the weakest link in the entire Wu-Tang regime, makes up for it all on the stellar track "Stand Up." Longtime David Bowie collaborator/guitarist Mick Ronson's son Marc lays production work on the excellent "Dirty Dirty," and after that it almost seems fitting that Ol' Dirty and producer "Ill" Will Fulton chose Bowie's "Fame" as the music background track for inevitable future dance floor smash "Dirty Run."