Pitchfork

Earlier this year, Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Dreddy Kruger's Think Differently Music Group posted an unreleased Ol' Dirty Bastard song on its MySpace. The track, "Wastin' Time (No More)" (also released on a mixtape last year as "ODB Forever"), sees the late rap legend promising to turn his life around over vinyl-crackling piano from (no shit) Billy Joel's "The Stranger"-- a sample previously used, as a Wu-Tang board commenter pointed out, by West Coast rapper Xzibit in 1996. Against that poignant setting, ODB barks his way through references to Martin Lawrence, Terminator, and his own 2003 signing to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella label, refocusing his priorities away from "hoes, pussy, and clothes" and onto the shit in life that really matters. "No more will I run and hide," he repeats.

Sweden's The Tough Alliance have made no secret of their love for hip-hop, covering 50 Cent back in 2004 and naming Ice Cube, Biggie, and Snoop Dogg as inspirations the same year on their nod to Daft Punk's "Teachers", "Take No Heroes" (later sampled by Jens Lekman). Now, TTA's Sincerely Yours label has posted a video tribute to ODB featuring a snippet of "Wastin' Time (No More)" as the imprint's 69th release. The clip puts together vintage ODB footage, and for some reason there's a yellow line across the frame. Of the man born Russell Jones, Sincerely Yours writes, "Some people are just too real for this world."

Video:> Ol' Dirty Bastard: "Wastin' Time (No More)" (The Tough Alliance edit)
[unreleased track available via MySpace or the Wu-Tang Clan's Demo Cuts: Deluxe Edition mixtape]