Typically, people don’t just drop dead for no good reason at the age of 35.
The New York City medical examiner’s office today declared Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s death to have been an accident caused by the combined effects of cocaine and a prescription painkiller.
The rapper born Russell Jones died “as a result of intoxication by the combined effects of cocaine and Tramadol, a prescription painkiller but not a narcotic,” said Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the New York City medical examiner’s office.
The founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan had been working on an album for a year and was almost finished when he complained of chest pains, collapsed and died at a Manhattan recording studio on November 13, days short of his 36th birthday.
Jones had had more than one issue with the law, including a conviction in 1993 for second-degree assault, and a two-year visit to prison from 2001-3 for drug possession and escaping from a drug rehab clinic.
He was also just plain bizarre, rushing onstage at the ’98 Grammys Awards, grabbing the mike from Shawn Colvin and ranting about buying expensive clothes for the ceremony and his loss to Puff Daddy, who received the best rap album Grammy.
The Dead Rappers contingent still lags far behind that of the Dead Rockers, but not for lack of trying.