The Legend of Sopona (ODB): Revealing Shakespeare's Pen - Kliff's Notes to the Wu-Tang Manual

Ol’ Dirty Bastard is the reincarnation of Babalu-Aye, also known as Sopona in Santeria. Babalu-Aye is the god of pestilence, disease and infirmary. He is also received for health and wealth in Santeria. A pataki, sacred story in Santeria tells that Babalu-Aye was a suavely attired man who could get any woman. In this statue he is dressed in fine garb and carried a cigar clean with charisma. When Olodumare, God in Ifa (African Santeria) asked him what gift he wanted, Babalu-Aye requested the ability to please any woman. God granted him the gift but said he may not have sex on Sundays he had to take time for other things. On an occasion with Oshun (who is reincarnated as rapper Eve) he broke his taboo and as a punishment God afflicted him with smallpox. From that time on his face could not be seen without cover forcing him to wear the raffia cloth. In this statue he is seen with this garment covering his body with the ability to inflict disease as well as heal.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard was someone who was afflicted with schizophrenia at the end of his life. He was persecuted and sent to jail, where he was tortured with needles containing psychotropic medication, for his African militancy. He continued his career on Rocafella Records after Damon Dash signed him to the label consistent with his mythology as companion spirit to Dada who is reincarnated in Jay-Z. In modernity because he had schizophrenia ODB is also the Orisha who heals this illness, and who protects against homelessness. Receive a picture of ODB and he will fix your situation. Homeless shelters should incorporate his image in their housing. An extension of this is ODB’s guard against domestic sodomy, the practice of America’s housing system that attacks those who are deemed too African for a living situation and that denies African Americans and the poor housing based on discrimination.
Babalu-Aye is syncretized with St. Lazarus is Santeria. Nelson Mandela is the reincarnation of Saint Lazarus, a man who went to jail in South Africa and became president of that same nation, walking to the podium of his speech as he passed his former jailer. (Luke 16:22:-23) These two have the ability to send the unfaithful to hell for not giving to the poor and needy. (Luke 16:27-28)
ODB is like Tom Byrd (Errol Barnes) in Spike Lee’s Clockers who stops Strike, “All I find’s, all I keep,” Because he was unjustly afflicted with an illness through social ills and now needs charity like Saint Lazarus to survive. As a collection of CDs, the Wu-Tang Saga is a cinematic autobiography, with each member’s album representing a scene in the motion picture. This is the Secret of the Wu. And, this is Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s legacy as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, and the subject of The Legend of Sopona, which describes the Wu-Tang Manual as a guidebook for inner-city upbringing.