Ol' Dirty Bastard's Family Gets Emotional Ahead of Wu-Tang Rock Hall Honor

Ol' Dirty Bastard won't be there to celebrate Wu-Tang Clan's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend ... but his family is making sure the late rapper gets his moment in the spotlight.

TMZ caught up with ODB's widow, Icelene Jones, and two of his daughters as they arrived in Los Angeles ahead of Saturday's ceremony ... and Icelene revealed their son, Young Dirty Bastard, will perform in his father's place alongside the legendary hip-hop group.

Icelene told us she's honored to represent her late husband ... who she says would've been proud of the recognition, especially considering he was a true rock star himself.

But the moment is bittersweet. Icelene revealed ODB has 12 grandchildren he never got to meet ... and believes if he were alive today, he'd want to be surrounded by family. One of his daughters joked he'd probably be living in Africa, away from the spotlight.

And there could be more surprises in store ... 'cause when we asked whether any unreleased ODB music was sitting in the vault, Icelene teased, "I think so."

ODB died in 2004 at just 35 years old ... more than two decades before Wu-Tang's HOF induction.