Another Poet Leaves Too Soon

The Kansas Redhead noted that while I had mentioned the passing of Nobel laureate Yasser Arafat, I had failed to note the passing of a far more influential figure from the world stage. Yes, O.D.B. has left us far too soon...

Revered, troubled and often outlandish rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard mysteriously collapsed and died yesterday at a Manhattan recording studio, police said.

The 35-year-old ODB, one of the founding members of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan, became ill and suffered breathing difficulties at about 4:40 p.m. inside 36 Records on West 34th Street.

One of his four friends in the studio called 911. Rescue workers arrived five minutes later, but were unable to revive the hip-hop star.

ODB, whose real name is Russell Jones, was declared dead a short time later.

Fellow Wu-Tang founder Ghostface Killah raced to the studio to grieve.

"I'm taking it hard," he said. "This ain't no joke, just like you lose your mother or your brother.

"That was my brother, my heart, my soul, my pride, my joy. I guess he's with the Father now. He's in good hands."

No one could say what killed the rapper, who spent time in drug rehab and served more than a year in prison for a 2001 drug arrest.

The New York Post gets special props for the headline "Dead Dirty Bastard."

Hmmm. 35 and he has a history of drug use. I think we can pass on the autopsy, doc.