1968 Birth of Ol’ Dirty Bastard
On November 15, 1968, a poverty-stricken couple in Brooklyn welcomed the birth of a baby boy whom they named Russell Tyrone Jones. This child would grow up to be a famous entertainer, but not under his birth name, for young Russell would, in his meteoric career, ply his trade under various noms de musique: ODB, Ason Unique, Dirt McGirt, Joe Bananas, Dog Osirus, Big Baby Jesus, Ol’ Dirty Chinese Restaurant, and Knifey McStab – but it is when he employed the sobriquet Ol’ Dirty Bastard that he would achieve everlasting fame. Well, everlasting until his 2004 drug overdose death. He was much missed by his 13 children and employees of the New York justice system who came to know the engaging rapper through his numerous violations of penal statutes.
It is not unusual for aspiring entertainers to change their names. Archibald Leach became (quite understandably) Cary Grant; Lucille Fay LeSueur became Joan Crawford; and Doris Kappelhoff took the name Doris Day. Tammy Wynette was once Virginia Pugh; Jon Stewart was born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. But no part of the stardust and glitter industry resorts to name changes as much as rap music. So hats off today to
Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham
Eminem, once Marshall Bruce Mathers III
50 Cent, Curtis James Jackson III
Flavor Flav, aka William Jonathan Drayton Jr.
Lil Bow Wow, Shad Gregory Moss
Lil’ Kim, Kimberly Denise Jones
Lil Nas X, born Montero Lamar Hill
Lil Peep, né Gustav Elijah Åhr
Lil Wayne, once Dwayne Michael Carter Jr.
Lil Yachty, Miles Parks McCollum
Notorious B.I.G., born Christopher George Latore Wallace
Puff Daddy, Sean Love Combs
Travis Scott, né Jacques Bermon Webster II
Wicca Springs Eternal, aka Adam McIlwee
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, or Kentrell DeSean Gaulden
Young Thug, Jeffery Lamar Williams
Yung Bruh, born Jazz Ishmael Butler