Ol' Dirty Bastard's body is still warm, but it looks like the claws are out for his bling.
Lowdown hears that the Wu-Tang rapper's estranged wife, Icelene Jones - with whom he fathered three children during their 19-year marriage - is attempting to seize control of his estate and deny shares of his fortune to Cherry Jones, the mother of Russell Jones (ODB's given name), and the four children he sired out of wedlock.
According to a Lowdown spy, Icelene has also been lobbying to have his body cremated to prevent any DNA paternity tests.
ODB collapsed and died in a Manhattan recording studio on Saturday, two days before his 36th birthday, and his manager, Jarred Weisfeld, claims he'd insisted to friends that his royalties be divided among his seven children - though he did not leave a will.
Yesterday, ODB's attorney Mark Frey told Lowdown: "I did receive a call from [Icelene Jones'] attorney Darryl Nicholas, who mentioned to me that he didn't want any of Russell's managers to release any funds because she was planning to file to take control of the estate."
Nicholas refused to confirm or deny Lowdown's account.
"It's a waste of your time to keep asking these probing questions," he said. "Right now, there are a number of memorial services for him, and we're not even going to address that until after the family has had the proper time to grieve."
But Weisfeld fumed: "Icelene is greedy, not grieving. They haven't lived together for years! Darryl Nicholas is a heartless p- and a whack-a- attorney."
He continued: "The other four kids are his blood, and they deserve what they're entitled to. If Darryl wants a fight with me and Cherry, he's gonna get one."
Reached for comment yesterday, a very composed Jones told Lowdown, "Right now, I'm just working on the funeral. I was advised by my lawyer not to say anything at this time. We will eventually be issuing a statement."
Lowdown hears that the Wu-Tang rapper's estranged wife, Icelene Jones - with whom he fathered three children during their 19-year marriage - is attempting to seize control of his estate and deny shares of his fortune to Cherry Jones, the mother of Russell Jones (ODB's given name), and the four children he sired out of wedlock.
According to a Lowdown spy, Icelene has also been lobbying to have his body cremated to prevent any DNA paternity tests.
ODB collapsed and died in a Manhattan recording studio on Saturday, two days before his 36th birthday, and his manager, Jarred Weisfeld, claims he'd insisted to friends that his royalties be divided among his seven children - though he did not leave a will.
Yesterday, ODB's attorney Mark Frey told Lowdown: "I did receive a call from [Icelene Jones'] attorney Darryl Nicholas, who mentioned to me that he didn't want any of Russell's managers to release any funds because she was planning to file to take control of the estate."
Nicholas refused to confirm or deny Lowdown's account.
"It's a waste of your time to keep asking these probing questions," he said. "Right now, there are a number of memorial services for him, and we're not even going to address that until after the family has had the proper time to grieve."
But Weisfeld fumed: "Icelene is greedy, not grieving. They haven't lived together for years! Darryl Nicholas is a heartless p- and a whack-a- attorney."
He continued: "The other four kids are his blood, and they deserve what they're entitled to. If Darryl wants a fight with me and Cherry, he's gonna get one."
Reached for comment yesterday, a very composed Jones told Lowdown, "Right now, I'm just working on the funeral. I was advised by my lawyer not to say anything at this time. We will eventually be issuing a statement."
