Wu-Tang Clan member and solo artist Ol' Dirty Bastard collapsed and died inside a recording studio today (November 13). He was 35. The emcee, whose real name was Russell Jones, had complained earlier of chest pains before collapsing at the Manhattan studio, according to a statement from his label, Roc-A-Fella Records. Paramedics were called but were unable to save him. A spokeswoman said the cause of death was unknown.

Jones, who also went by the monikers of Dirt and Big Baby Jesus, was a founding member of legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s. His offbeat, ranting delivery earned him a following which he parlayed into a successful solo career. His solo debut was 1995's classic Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, which spawned the hit singles "Brooklyn Zoo" and "Shimmy Shimmy Ya."

Ol' Dirty Bastard, whose numerous antics are the stuff of legend, was known for his wild lifestyle which through the years became more bizarre. His extreme eccentricity was  confirmed by millions in February 1998, when he crashed the stage at the Grammy Awards. Dressed in a red suit, he snatched the microphone from singer Shawn Colvin as she accepted her award, and told the crowd that Wu-Tang shouldn’t have lost their Grammy to Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. He then uttered the famous phrase: “Wu-Tang is for the children.”

 In 2001 he was sentenced to two to four years in prison for drug possession plus two concurrent years for escaping from a rehab clinic. After his release in 2003, he  signed with Roc-A-Fella, a move which weas rumored to cause bad blood with other members of the Wu. ODB was working on a new album when he died.

ODB would have turned 36 on Monday, November 15. He fathered 13 children, according to Blender magazine.

"To the public he was known as Ol' Dirty Bastard but to me he was known as Rusty," his mother, Cherry Jones, said in a statement. "The kindest most generous soul on earth. I appreciate all of the support and prayers that I have received. Russell was more then a rapper he was a loving father, brother, uncle and most of all son."

"All of us in the Roc-A-Fella family are shocked and saddened by the sudden and tragic death of our brother and friend, Russell Jones, Ol' Dirty Bastard," said Roc-A-Fella CEO Damon Dash. "Russell inspired all of us with his spirit, wit and tremendous heart. He will be missed dearly, and our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences go out to his wonderful family. The world has lost a great talent, but we mourn the loss of our friend."

2004 witnessed a resurgence in Wu-Tang Clan activity. This summer all principal members came together to perform for the first time in 10 years. The concert was documented on the CD and DVD Disciples Of The 36 Chambers  released in September. Several members of the Wu, including ODB, also appear on the soundtrack to "Blade: Trinity," scheduled to drop November 23. In addition, the group is the subject of an upcoming book "The Wu-Tang Manual."