On Friday (November 15), a crowd including members of The Wu-Tang Clan drove to attend the NuHo Film Festival’s screening of Dirty: Platinum Edition, a documentary about the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
However, the film did not air as planned, reports AllHipHop.com.
Chris Kanik, NuHo’s owner and managing partner, revealed to the crowd that the film would not be airing because of a cease and desist order from the attorney representing ODB’s estate, which is under control of the rapper’s widowed wife, Icelene Jones.
Wu-Tang mastermind RZA spoke to the audience about the event via Skype.
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“You gotta protect yourself legally, but a film is something that can be portrayed in home, in public places like libraries and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAMS), where art is given to the people,” said RZA. “I can’t see how a lawyer can stop culture from being spread. This film is a documentary. That’s one of the biggest problems we have in this country – the problems of lawyers.”
RZA continued, expressing confusion at what he perceived to be the lawyer’s actions.
“I don’t understand how ODB, who passed away nine years ago, who has children, who has family members who are sitting right there in that audience, he has fans who have supported his music, he’s a part of the Wu Tang Legacy,” said RZA. “I can’t see how a lawyer, who never met him personally, can stop this film from being shown to the public.”
Kanik replied, “It’s not a lawyer, it’s the estate…the widow.”
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In May, Icelene Jones filed a cease and desist order to prevent the hologram of ODB to be used during the Wu-Tang Clan’s performance at Rock The Bells.
“I’m the administrator [of ODB’s estate] and the only authority to give anyone permission to do anything like this—any likeness, any music,” said Jones in an interview with HipHopDX. “They need to come to me. I’m so available. I’m accessible. I’m easy to contact. I just want to make that understood. I’m a nice person. It’s just that people are doing things without my knowledge.”
Ol’ Dirty Bastard passed away on November 13, 2004 from a drug overdose.
(November 18)
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UPDATE: Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s estate has resolved its issue regarding Dirty: Platinum Edition, according to allhiphop.com. The documentary is now available at nuhofilmfest.com.
RELATED:Q-Tip Says Ol’ Dirty Bastard & RZA Battled Him In High School
