OL' DIRTY BASTARD exaggerated his troubled childhood to boost his career, according to the late rapper's father.

ODB, who died in November (04) after overdosing on cocaine and painkillers, claimed he was brought up on welfare in New York's Fort Greene projects.

But WILLIAM JONES is furious with the image his son created, insisting the rapper - real name RUSSELL JONES - was a good student from a good home.

He says, "That story about him being raised in the Fort Greene projects on welfare until he was a child of 13 is a total lie.

"When I read it in the VIBE magazine a few years ago I was furious."

10/01/2005 14:01