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Rick James

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Rick James

Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr) (February 1 1948 – August 6 2004) was one of the most popular artists on the Motown label during the late 1970s and early 1980s. James was famous for his wild brand of funk music and his even wilder lifestyle. As time went on, James was given the unofficial title The King of Punk-Funk. In later life, James's legal problems relating to drug abuse received much publicity.

Biography

Early life

Born in Buffalo, NY James was the third of eight children. His father was an autoworker who abandoned the family, and his mother was a former dancer. "She raised us strict Catholics," James recalled. His uncle was Melvin Franklin, bass vocalist of The Temptations. Two of his cousins were Carl Stokes, the first black mayor of Cleveland, and Louis Stokes, a former Ohio congressman.

At age 16, James went AWOL from the U.S. Naval Reserve after having begun to miss weekend training because it interfered with his music career.[1] Fleeing north to Toronto, Ontario in the summer of 1964, James, now using the stage name Ricky Matthews, continued his musical career. His first band was called The Mynah Birds, which also featured Neil Young and future Steppenwolf member Nick St. Nicholas. In 1965, the group recorded a single for the Canadian arm of Columbia Records. In early 1965, St. Nicholas left the band and was replaced by Bruce Palmer.

Shortly afterwards, James and Palmer formed a new Mynah Birds lineup with guitarists Tom Morgan and John Taylor, and drummer Rickman Mason. In early 1966, the Mynah Birds auditioned for the Motown label in Detroit, Michigan. Morgan was unhappy with the label's attitude towards the musicians and left, with Neil Young taking his place. With Young on board, the Mynah Birds returned to Motown to record an album, but their manager pocketed the advance money the label had given the band. The band fired their manager, who in turn told the label that James was AWOL. Motown told him to give himself up to the FBI, and the Mynah Birds' album was shelved.

James's career continues

James spent a year in the Brooklyn Brig, after which he briefly returned to Toronto. During the summer of 1967, Rick James formed a new version of The Mynah Birds (sometimes spelled "Myna Byrds") with Neil Merryweather. The band returned to Motown and Detroit and recorded a new version of James and Neil Young's It's My Time, but the band broke up soon afterwards. During early 1968, James returned to Motown and became a songwriter and producer, writing under an assumed name and working with Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers and The Spinners.

In the summer of 1969, he moved to Los Angeles, California and formed a band called Salt, Pepper, 'N' Cocaine with Canadians Ed Roth (keyboards), Dave Burt (guitar), and Coffi Hall (drums). Former Buffalo Springfield roadie Chris Sarns played bass for a while, before Ron Johnson from Kaleidoscope stepped in the following year. The group recorded a demo for Atlantic Records, and played at The Fillmore West with Jethro Tull.

In 1971, James and Roth recorded two singles in Toronto for RCA Records' — Big Showdown and Don't You Worry with Heaven and Earth, a band that also featured guitarist Stan Endersby, bass player Denny Gerrard, and drummer Pat Little. James left Heaven and Earth later that year. He, Roth, and Gerrard formed a new group called Great White Cane with horn players Bob Doughty and Ian Kojima, drummer Norman Wellbanks, guitarist Nick Balkou, and keyboard player John Cleveland Hughes. The group recorded an album for Lion Records in Los Angeles in March 1972, but by that summer, they had disbanded.

At the end of 1972, James and LeAnna formed the first version of the Stone City Band with Peter Hodgson (bass), Danny Marks (guitar), and Malcolm Tomlinson (drums/vocals). An album's worth of material was recorded in mid-1973 but was never released. James signed to A&M Records the following year and issued a single entitled My Mama. In 1976, James and South African guitarist Aidan Mason co-wrote, "Get Up and Dance," which was released as a single but failed to chart.

Return to Motown and stardom

In 1977, he returned to Motown as a songwriter/producer. He soon began recording for Motown's Gordy label, first with the Hot Lips and then with a new version of the Stone City Band. This version featured Billy Nunn on keyboards and background vocals, Bobby Nunn on keyboards and background vocals, Freddie Rappilo on guitar, Andy Rapillo on bass, Mike Caputy on drums, Randy and Mike Brecker on horns, Levi and Jackie Ruffin on background vocals, Richard Shaw on bass and background vocals, Lorenzo Shaw on drums, Flick, Berry, and Steve Williams on horns, Vanessa, Joey, Dee Dot, Roger Brown, Calvin Moore, and Bennie McCullough on background vocals. James's breakthrough single was "You and I", an eight-minute magnum opus from his 1978 debut album Come Get It. The album also featured his ode to marijuana, "Mary Jane", co-written by keyboardist Billy Nunn.

1979 saw the release of two albums: in January, Bustin' Out of L Seven with Alyn Symns on guitar, Oscar Alston on bass, Lanise Hughes on drums, Nate Hughes on percussion, Danny LeMelle on saxophone, Levi Ruffin and Ramadon on synthesizer, and Erskin Williams on keyboards; that fall, Fire It Up, with Tom McDermott on guitar, was also released. The latter included hits such as the title track and "Spacey Love", a ballad dedicated to R&B legend Patti LaBelle. After 1980s lackluster Garden of Love album, James was accused by many as having "sold out", and he returned to his old Buffalo stomping grounds. In 1981 he recorded a concept album entitled Street Songs, which included James's signature song "Super Freak". The song featured guest vocals by The Temptations, and was sampled for MC Hammer's 1990 Grammy Award-winning song "U Can't Touch This", as well as Jay-Z's "Kingdom Come", released in 2006. Other hits from Street Songs included "Give It to Me Baby", "Fire and Desire" with protégé Teena Marie, and "Ghetto Life".

The stream of hits continued into the mid-1980s with "Teardrops", "Cold Blooded", "17", "You Turn Me On", "Can't Stop", and "Glow". His last R&B hit was "Loosey's Rap" in 1989, featuring a rap by Roxanne Shante. During this period, he also helped launch the Mary Jane Girls and produced Eddie Murphy's one hit, "Party All the Time".

While he is best known for his up tempo songs in pop circles, the R&B world remembers him as one of the premier soul balladeers in the late seventies and early eighties. He recorded an early eighties hit with Motown legend Smokey Robinson entitled "Ebony Eyes" that captures his voice almost as well as "Fire And Desire".

During this time, he guest-starred on an episode of The A-Team entitled "The Heart of Rock N' Roll", in which he played himself and performed at a prison concert singing "Super Freak". Isaac Hayes also guest starred in this episode.

In October 2002, his song "Ghetto Life" appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the in-game radio station Fever 105; October 2004 "Cold Blooded" appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on Funk radio station Bounce FM; and October 2006 in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories his song "Mary Jane" appeared on the radio station VCFL. Also in 2006 "Super Freak" and "Give It to Me Baby" appeared in the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours.

James was a known drug user, mainly addicted to cocaine, which he often smoked; he later admitted to spending about $7,000 a week on drugs for five years straight, and to putting aluminum foil on the windows of his home. In 1993, James was convicted of assaulting two women, with the first assault during one of his cocaine binges. In 1991, he and future wife Tanya Hijazi were accused of holding 24-year old Frances Alley hostage for up to six days (accounts vary on how long she was actually held), tying her up, forcing her to perform sexual acts, and burning her legs and abdomen with a hot smack pipe during a week long cocaine binge.

In 1993, while out on bail for that earlier incident, a coked-up James assaulted another woman, music executive Mary Sauger, at the St. James Club and Hotel in West Hollywood. Sauger claims she met James and Hijazi(not a real word!) for a business meeting, but claims the two kidnapped and beat her over a 20-hour period. He was found guilty of both offenses, but was cleared of a torture charge in the crack-pipe incident that could have put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Rick's life changed for the better when he met and befriended John Kistler. Kistler helped Rick get off drugs and the two were close friends until Rick's death.

Serving two years in Folsom Prison, as well as losing $2 million in a civil suit to one of the women, did not stop him from writing new songs, even if he did it behind bars. He was released in 1995, and during interviews for a segment of the VH1 series Behind The Music, he spoke openly about his life and his battle with drugs for the first time.

James attempted a comeback with a new album and tour in 1997, but suffered a mild stroke during a concert in Denver, Colorado, effectively ending his musical career.

James's voice was sampled by DJ Green Lantern and used in Busta Rhymes's newest album The Big Bang. The track was titled "In the Ghetto" and sampled James's "Ghetto Life". At the end of the song Green Lantern threw in a sample of James at the 2004 BET Awards in which he exclaims, "Never mind who you thought I was ... I'm Rick James, bitch!", and was immediately followed by "Cocaine is a hell of a drug!", referencing his appearance on the sketch comedy series Chappelle's Show.

Death

On the morning of August 6th, 2004, Rick James was found dead in his Burbank, California home at the Oakwoods on Barham Boulevard by his caretaker. James had died from pulmonary failure and cardiac failure with his various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, a pacemaker, and according to the Internet Movie Database, a heart attack being listed as contributing factors. Minimal traces of cocaine were found in his bloodstream.

A coroner's report released September 16, 2004 officially ruled his death as accidental, reporting nine drugs found in James's bloodstream:

"Toxicology revealed the presence of the following drugs,

The report went on to state that "none of the drugs or drug combinations were found to be at levels that were life threatening in and of themselves."

On August 11, 2004, a public viewing was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles, along with a public funeral service there the following day. Following the Los Angeles services, his remains were transported back to New York for burial where they were interred at the unrelated Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. He was divorced and was survived by three children (Tazman, Ty, and Rick James, Jr.) and two granddaughters (Jasmine and Charisma).

The Buffalo News reported on August 6 2006, two years to the date of his death, the placement of a gravestone at Forest Lawn. The two ton headstone is four feet nine inches high by four feet wide. Inscribed on it is an image from his 1981 hit album Street Songs, which included "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak."

Pop culture references

In the The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror X Halloween special in 1999, Rick James is shown singing "Super Freak" during a parody of Dick Clark's New Year's Eve special. As he finishes the song, he is promptly arrested by the police, saying, "Aw man! What did I do now?"

In The Simpsons episode The Great Money Caper, Chief Clancy Wiggum says "I'll show you the Rick James cell. It's superfreaky!".

In The Simpsons episode Sweets and Sour Marge, lawyer Gil Gunderson says "I've made too many enemies selling suckless vacuum cleaners and Rick James bibles."

In an episode of The Surreal Life, James made an appearance surprising rapper Vanilla Ice.

In Epic Movie, the Albino monk is nonsense-captioned saying, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" for the Latin "Et tu Brute?," after he shoots Mr. Tumnus.

James's drug-fueled behavior — as remembered by Charlie Murphy — featured prominently in a popular skit from the sketch comedy program Chappelle's Show. This skit gave rise to the catch phrases "I'm Rick James, bitch!" and "Fuck yo' couch, nigga!"

The appearance of the character Old Gregg, in British comedy show The Mighty Boosh, is based on James.

In popular music, the album Comfort Eagle, by American rock band Cake, features a song entitled "Meanwhile Rick James..."; the album Come on Feel the Lemonheads, by The Lemonheads, features a song called "Rick James Style".

Rick James once made an appearance on Judge Joe Brown as a plaintiff suing Geronne Turner for a guitar and amp.

On the track "Chi-City" on Common's album "Be," Rick James is referenced in the line "What you rappin for? To get fame? To get rich? I slap a nigga like you, and tell 'em "Rick James, bitch.""

In the 213 Album "The Hard Way", Rick James is imitated on the "MLK" track in the end of the song

Documentary

I'm Rick James (film) is a documentary about the life and career of Rick James is scheduled to be released in 2008. James' daughter, Ty James, is a co-executive producer of the film. Originally scheduled to be finished and released in 2006, the filmmakers spent over an additional year tweaking and adding scenes to the film. After almost three years of production it was only completed in late December,2007. The film is the only documentary officially authorized by the estate and family of James. Music producer David Tickle is the Executive Producer, Perry Santos (once an assistant to James Cameron on Titanic) is the producer/director, HiddenDoor Documedia is the production company. Eddie Griffin, Charlie Murphy, George Clinton, Janice Dickinson, other celebrities, family and close associates also appear in the film. Noticeably absent are Eddie Murphy and Teena Marie, who declined to appear in the documentary.

Autobiography

At the time of his death, he was working on an autobiography, The Confessions of Rick James: Memoirs of a Superfreak, as well as a new album. The book was finally published toward the end of 2007 by Colossus Books. It is quite comprehensive and features a picture of his tombstone.

Discography

Albums

Singles

  • 1978: "Mary Jane" - US #41, R&B #3
  • 1978: "You and I" - US #13, R&B #1
  • 1979: "Bustin' Out" - US #71, R&B #8
  • 1979: "Fool On The Street" - R&B #35
  • 1979: "High On Your Love Suite" - US #72
  • 1979: "Love Gun" - R&B #13
  • 1980: "Come Into My Live (Part 1) - R&B #26
  • 1980: "Big Time" - R&B #17
  • 1981: "Give It To Me Baby" - US #40, R&B #1
  • 1981: "Super Freak (Part 1)" - US #16, R&B #3
  • 1982: "Ghetto Life" - R&B #38
  • 1982: "Dance Wit' Me (Part 1)" - US #64, R&B #3
  • 1982: "Hard To Get" - R&B #15
  • 1982: "Standing On The Top (Part 1)" - US #66, R&B #6
  • 1983: "Cold Blooded" - US #40, R&B #1
  • 1983: "Ebony Eyes" - US #43, R&B #22
  • 1983: "U Bring the Freak Out" - R&B #16
  • 1984: "17" - US #38
  • 1985: "Can't Stop" - US #50, R&B #10
  • 1985: "Glow" - R&B #5
  • 1985: "Spend the Night With Me" - R&B #41
  • 1988: "Loosey's Rap" (with Roxanne Shante) - R&B #1

References

  1. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/06/rick.james/index.html

See also

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