Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version

Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard, released March 28, 1995, by Elektra Records in the United States.

Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Studio album by
Ol' Dirty Bastard
ReleasedMarch 28, 1995
GenreHardcore hip hop
Length59:04
Label
Producer
Ol' Dirty Bastard chronology
Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
(1995)		 Nigga Please
(1999)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
Tical
(1994)		 Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
(1995)		 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
(1995)
Singles from Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
  1. "Brooklyn Zoo"
    Released: January 21, 1995
  2. "Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
    Released: May 9, 1995

Background

It was the second solo album, after Method Man's Tical, to be released from the nine-member Wu-Tang Clan following the release of their debut album. Return to the 36 Chambers was primarily produced by RZA, with additional production from Ol' Dirty Bastard, and affiliates True Master and 4th Disciple. The album features guest appearances from Wu-Tang Clan members GZA, RZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Masta Killa as well as Wu-Tang Killa Beez.

Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album sold 81,000 copies in its first week,[1] and was certified Platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 26, 2019.[2] Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from most music critics, with many complimenting Ol' Dirty Bastard's bizarre lyrical delivery and RZA's eerie production. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1996 Grammy Awards.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Chicago Tribune[4]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA−[5]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[6]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Pitchfork9.3/10[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
Select2/5[11]
The Source4/5[12]

Upon its release, Return to the 36 Chambers received general acclaim, including award nominations and inclusions on year-end publications. The Dirty Version was nominated for the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, but lost to Naughty by Nature's Poverty's Paradise. In a 4-star review in 1999, Rolling Stone commented, "With his raspy, lisp-punctuated voice and half-sung, half-rapped style, Ol' Dirty Bastard may well be the most original vocalist in hip-hop history." In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. Entertainment Weekly said that the album showed the "raw, innovative talent of their illest member ... The RZA's signature dissonant piano loops [sparkle] behind Dirty's delirious, reverberating delivery." Melody Maker said, "... an hour of cruel hard and frighteningly funny hip hop; the perfect companion piece to Wu-Tang's 36 Chambers ... the songs are driven by a vicious, unstable urgency."[13]

By contrast, Select gave the album a negative review of two out of five.[11] The review found the album inferior to Method Man's album Tical, stating that "From the extremely long and unfunny – intro skit, it's obvious ideas are spread wafer thin across the 15 tracks."[11]

Retrospectively, the album has continually seen positive coverage.[14] Pitchfork gave a 9.3/10 to the album in a classic review, lauding it as "a work of orchestrated negligence and a makeshift classic."[15]

Track listing

Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes and AllMusic.[16][17]

Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"Russell Jones
4:47
2."Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
RZA2:41
3."Baby C'mon"JonesRZA3:26
4."Brooklyn Zoo"Jones
3:37
5."Hippa to Da Hoppa"
  • Jones
  • Diggs
RZA3:01
6."Raw Hide" (Featuring Method Man and Raekwon)
RZA4:02
7."Damage" (Featuring GZA)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
  • RZA
  • 4th Disciple (co.)
2:47
8."Don't U Know" (Featuring Killah Priest)
RZA4:26
9."The Stomp"Jones
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard
  • RZA (co.)
2:22
10."Goin' Down"JonesRZA4:19
11."Drunk Game (Sweet Sugar Pie)"
  • Jones
  • Ethan Ryman
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard
  • Ethan Ryman
4:20
12."Snakes" (Featuring Killah Priest, RZA, Masta Killa, Buddha Monk)
RZA5:26
13."Brooklyn Zoo II (Tiger Crane)" (Featuring Ghostface Killah)
RZA7:20
14."Proteck Ya Neck II the Zoo" (Featuring Buddha Monk, Prodigal Sunn, Zu Keeper, Murdoc, Killah Priest, 12 O'Clock, Shorty Shit Stain and 60 Second Assassin)
RZA4:00
15."Cuttin' Headz" (Featuring RZA)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
RZA2:28
Total length:59:04
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
16."Dirty Dancin'" (featuring Method Man)
  • Jones
  • Smith, Jr.
RZA2:42
17."Harlem World"
  • Jones
  • Johnie Spivey Jr.
Big Dore6:15
18."Ol' Dirty's Back"
  • Jones
  • Turner
Popa Chief4:12
Total length:72:13
25th Anniversary Remaster
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
19."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Extended Version)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
RZA3:49
20."Don't U Know, Pt. II"
  • Jones
  • Diggs
RZA5:08
21."Give It To Ya Raw" (SD50 Remix)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
  • RZA
  • SD50
4:08
22."Brooklyn Zoo" (Stripped Version)Jones
  • Ol’ Dirty Bastard
  • True Master
3:09
23."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Stripped Version)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
RZA3:03
24."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Instrumental) RZA2:46
25."Baby C'mon" (Instrumental) RZA3:38
26."Brooklyn Zoo" (Instrumental) 
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard
  • True Master
3:51
27."Hippa To Da Hoppa" (Instrumental) RZA2:47
28."Raw Hide" (Instrumental) RZA4:10
29."Damage" (Instrumental) 
  • RZA
  • 4th Disciple (co.)
2:51
30."Don't U Know" (Instrumental) RZA4:39
31."The Stomp" (Instrumental) 
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard
  • RZA (co.)
3:48
32."Goin' Down" (Instrumental) RZA3:48
33."Drunk Game (Sweet Sugar Pie)" (Instrumental) 
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard
  • Ethan Ryman
4:10
34."Snakes" (Instrumental) RZA5:16
35."Brooklyn Zoo II (Tiger Crane)" (Instrumental) RZA4:58
36."Proteck Ya Neck II The Zoo" (Instrumental) RZA3:59
37."Dirty Dancin'" (Instrumental) RZA2:46
38."Harlem World" (Instrumental) Big Dore6:22
39."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Extended Version; Instrumental) RZA3:39
40."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Studio Ton Remix; Instrumental) RZA4:39
41."Brooklyn Zoo" (Lord Digga Remix; Instrumental) 
  • Lord Digga
  • The Witchdoc
4:00
42."Brooklyn Zoo" (Lord Digga Remix)Jones
  • Lord Digga
  • The Witchdoc
4:06
43."Shimmy Shimmy Ya" (Extended Mix; A Capella)
  • Jones
  • Diggs
 3:27
Total length:171:14

Personnel

Musicians

Additional
  • Big Dore – producer
  • True Master – producer
  • Ethan Ryman – producer, engineer
  • John Wydrycs, Tim Latham – engineer, mixing
  • Jimmie Lee, Jack Hersca – engineer, assistant engineer
  • Deden Sumandani – mixing
  • Martin Czembor – assistant engineer, mixing
  • David Sealy, Jay Nicholas – assistant engineer
  • Alli – art direction
  • Danny Clinch – photography

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Silver 60,000‡
United States (RIAA)[26] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Accolades
  • The information regarding accolades is adapted from acclaimedmusic.net[27]
  • (*) signifies unordered lists
Publication Country Accolade Year Rank
Blender United States 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die 2003 *
Ego Trip Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980–98 1999 4
Hip Hop Connection United Kingdom The 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005 2005 32
Les Inrockuptibles France Albums of the Year 1995 *
Muzik United Kingdom Albums of the Year 1995 15
Ned Raggett United States The Top 136 Albums of the Nineties 1999 87
Pop Sweden Albums of the Year 1995 14
The Source United States The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time 1998 *
Spex Germany The 100 Albums of the Century 1999 67
Albums of the Year 1995 1
The Village Voice United States Albums of the Year 1995 39

References
  1. Snow, Shauna. MORNING REPORT. Los Angeles Times. April 6, 1995.
  2. RIAA search: Return to the 36 Chambers. RIAA. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  3. Huey, Steve. "Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version – Ol' Dirty Bastard". AllMusic. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  4. Johnson, Martin (May 4, 1995). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers (Elektra)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  5. Christgau, Robert (2000). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  6. Mukherjee, Tiarra (March 31, 1995). "Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  7. Hunt, Dennis (April 16, 1995). "Ol' Dirty Bastard, 'Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version,' Elektra". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  8. Pearce, Sheldon (March 29, 2020). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  9. Touré (April 20, 1995). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 22, 2001. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  10. Wolk, Douglas (2004). "Ol' Dirty Bastard". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 602. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  11. Hall, Matt (May 1995). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Select. No. 59. p. 99.
  12. Poluhoff, Nicholas (May 1995). "Ol' Dirty Bastard: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". The Source. No. 68. pp. 65–66.
  13. Columnist. Review snippets: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version. mymusic.com. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
  14. Traynor, Cian (30 March 2015). "Keepin' It Dirty: A celebration of ODB's Return to the 36 Chambers". Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  15. Pearce, Sheldon (29 March 2020). "Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version". Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  16. Ol' Dirty Bastard (1995). Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (booklet). Elektra/WMG. GEFD-24971.
  17. "Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version - Ol' Dirty Bastard". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  18. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9143". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  19. "Dance Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 8 April 1995. p. 19. Retrieved May 27, 2022 – via World Radio History.
  20. "Ol' Dirty Bastard Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  21. "Ol' Dirty Bastard Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  22. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 17. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  23. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  24. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  25. "British album certifications – Ol' Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  26. "American album certifications – Ol' Dirty Bastard – Return to the 36 Chambers". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  27. Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version Album Accolades. acclaimedmusic.net. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
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