Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version
Template:Lead too short Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: March 28, 1995 | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Nigga Please1999studioReturn to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty VersionOdb_welfare.jpgyesOl' Dirty BastardMarch 28, 19951992–1995RZA's basement studio, New York CityHardcore hip hop59:04Template:HlistTemplate:Hlistx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} 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. Intent on creating a solo album away from Wu-Tang, he signed to Elektra in January 1993 and began a two-year recording process that started that same year.
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,<ref>Snow, Shauna. MORNING REPORT. Los Angeles Times. April 6, 1995.</ref> and was certified Platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 26, 2019.<ref>RIAA search: Return to the 36 Chambers Template:Webarchive. RIAA. Retrieved 2010-08-16.</ref> 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
Upon its release, Return to the 36 Chambers received general acclaim, including award nominations and inclusions on year-end publications. In his review for Rolling Stone magazine, Touré 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."<ref name="rs_review" /> Entertainment WeeklyTemplate:'s Tiarra Mukherjee thought 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."<ref name="Mukherjee" /> Michael Bonner of Melody Maker wrote, "... 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."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
By contrast, Select magazine's Matt Hall was more critical of the album. His review found the album inferior to Method Man's album Tical, stating that "From the extremely long and unfunny – intro skit, its obvious ideas are spread wafer thin across the 15 tracks."<ref name="select-95">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
The Dirty Version was nominated for the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, but lost to Naughty by Nature's Poverty's Paradise.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Retrospectively, the album has continually seen positive coverage.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> PitchforkTemplate:'s contributor Sheldon Pearce lauded the album in a classic review as "a work of orchestrated negligence and a makeshift classic."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Track listing
Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes and AllMusic.<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Personnel
Musicians
- Ol' Dirty Bastard – assistant engineer, mixing, producer, vocals
- RZA – producer, mixing, vocals
- Ghostface Killah, GZA, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon, Killah Priest, Sunz Of Man, Brooklyn Zu – vocals
- Buddha Monk – vocals, mixing
- Big Dore – producer vocals
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
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Weekly charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Dance Albums (Music Week)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1 |
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|
Year-end charts
| Chart (1995) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 149 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 32 |
Certifications
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Accolades
- (*) signifies unordered lists
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blender | United States | 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 2003 | * | |
| Ego Trip | Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980–1998<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | 1999 | 4 | ||
| Hip Hop Connection | United Kingdom | The 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 2006 | 32 | |
| Les Inrockuptibles | France | Albums of the YearTemplate:Citation needed | 1995 | * | |
| Muzik | United Kingdom | Albums of the Year<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1996 | 15 | |
| Ned Raggett | United States | citation | CitationClass=web
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1999 | 87 |
| Pop | Sweden | Albums of the YearTemplate:Citation needed | 1995 | 14 | |
| The Source | United States | The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1998 | * | |
| Spex | Germany | The 100 Albums of the CenturyTemplate:Citation needed | 1999 | 67 | |
| Albums of the YearTemplate:Citation needed | 1995 | 1 | |||
| The Village Voice | United States | Pazz & Jop<ref name="1995 poll">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 1996 | 39 |