Rick James
Rick James was a pioneering funk musician known for blending punk-funk, soul, and rock. Born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. on February 1, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, he rose to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s with hits like "Super Freak" and "Give It to Me Baby."
Rick James grew up in Buffalo, playing in local bands as a teen, including jazz groups on drums and guitar. To avoid the Vietnam draft, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1964 but went AWOL, fleeing to Toronto where he formed The Mynah Birds with Neil Young and Bruce Palmer. The band signed with Motown, but James's desertion led to jail time after his return to the U.S.
After release, James wrote for Motown under a pseudonym and formed bands in California during the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1977, back in Buffalo, he created the Stone City Band and signed with Motown's Gordy Records. His 1978 debut Come Get It! spawned R&B #1 "You and I" and "Mary Jane," establishing his "punk funk" sound.
James's 1981 album Street Songs was his biggest hit, featuring "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak," which crossed over via funk, disco, rock, and new wave. He produced for Teena Marie, Smokey Robinson, and the Mary Jane Girls, with tracks like "Ebony Eyes" and "Party All the Time." His flamboyant style and energetic shows defined 1980s funk.
Legal troubles, including drug addiction and 1998 imprisonment for assault, derailed his career. James attempted comebacks, including a 1997 TV reunion via Chappelle's Show. He died August 6, 2004, in Los Angeles from heart failure linked to health issues, at age 56.
Come Get It!
A2 You And I 8:04
A3 Sexy Lady 3:49
A4 Dream Maker 5:14
B1 Be My Lady 4:46
B2 Mary Jane 4:58
B3 Hollywood 7:25
B4 Stone City Band, Bye! 1:06
Label: Gordy – G7-981R1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Funk, Disco
Rick James's 1978 debut album Come Get It! is a vibrant "punk-funk" fusion that blends funk, disco, and soul with a brash, rock-influenced energy. The album, a commercial success, established James's unique sound and flamboyant persona, and features two of his most iconic songs, "You and I" and "Mary Jane".
The album introduced Rick James's self-proclaimed "punk-funk" style, characterized by aggressive energy, a heavier guitar sound, snappy basslines, and a rock-star personality.
It is primarily a funk and soul album, but also incorporates elements of P-Funk, disco, and even reggae. The arrangements are tight, featuring crisp horn sections, synth-bass grooves, and a punchy, danceable quality.
The album explores various themes, including love and relationships in tracks like "You and I," an homage to marijuana in "Mary Jane," and an open letter to his mother about his ambitions of fame in "Hollywood".
Reviewers praise James's passionate vocals and the interesting vocal lines, often in coordination with backup vocalists.
Key Tracks
"You and I": A monumental, eight-plus-minute track that was James's first R&B chart-topper. It is praised for its "colossal synth-bass groove" and James's "boa-tossing vocal panache".
"Mary Jane": A breezy, signature tune and homage to marijuana, it features a romantic string section, airy flutes, and a strong Fender bass thrum, eventually incorporating a scratchy reggae vibe.
"Hollywood": This song fades out with a swaying reggae beat and serves as a personal statement about James's aspirations for success.
The album was a critical and commercial triumph, earning double platinum certification and successfully launching Rick James's prolific career at Motown's Gordy subsidiary.
Fire It Up
A2 Love Gun 5:44
A3 Lovin' You Is A Pleasure 4:08
A4 Love In The Night 6:22
B1 Come Into My Life 7:10
B2 Stormy Love 2:05
B3 When Love Is Gone 7:32
Label: Gordy – G8-990MI
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1979
Written by Rick James
Genre: R&B Soul, Funk
Style: Funk, Disco
Released in 1979, Rick James' Fire It Up is a high-energy, self-produced funk album that solidified his "punk-funk" style, featuring the Stone City Band's heavy grooves.
While sometimes overlooked for his later work, it is widely regarded as a strong, percussion-heavy transition album, blending danceable hits like the title track and "Love Gun" with cinematic soul ballads.
A departure from the more disjointed Bustin' Out of L Seven, this album showcases a cleaner, more focused, and refined "punk-funk" sound, utilizing heavy horns and rhythmic, bass-driven arrangements.
This was the first album Rick James produced entirely on his own, reportedly completing it in just 13 days. The album is heavy on percussion, horn sections, and thick basslines. It transitioned his sound from the "raggedy" feel of his second album, Bustin' Out of L Seven, to a more streamlined, professional "punk funk" aesthetic.
Standout Tracks:
"Fire It Up" & "Love Gun": The opening tracks are praised as a strong, high-energy, and funky introduction.
"Love in the Night" & "When Love Is Gone": Highlighted for their slower, soulful, and cinematic quality.
"Lovin' You Is A Pleasure": A notable, synth-heavy, and, smooth, track.
Critics and fans generally consider it a solid, underrated album,, though some critics at the time found the ballad-to-funk ratio uneven. It is often recommended as a must-hear for those looking to explore beyond the Street Songs album.
While some reviews suggest it doesn't quite reach the heights of his later masterpieces, Fire It Up is a crucial, high-quality part of James' 1970s output, displaying his ability to blend gritty funk with polished production.
Street Songs
Words By, Music By – Rick James
4:07
A2 Ghetto Life
Words By, Music By – Rick James
4:20
A3 Make Love To Me
Words By, Music By – Rick James
4:48
A4 Mr. Policeman
Words By, Music By – Rick James
4:17
B1 Super Freak
Words By, Music By – Alonzo Miller, Rick James
3:25
B2 Fire And Desire
Words By, Music By – Rick James
7:19
B3 Call Me Up
Words By, Music By – Rick James
3:54
B4 Below The Funk (Pass The J)
Words By, Music By – Rick James
2:36
Label: Gordy – G8-1002M1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: R&B Soul, Funk
Style: Eighties Soul, Disco Funk
Released in April 1981, Rick James’ Street Songs is a seminal 5x Platinum funk album that defined '80s Motown with a raw, "punk-funk" sound. It features iconic hits like "Super Freak" and "Give It To Me Baby," alongside the Teena Marie duet "Fire and Desire". The album spent 20 weeks at No. 1 on the R&B charts, blending gritty themes of street life, sex, and drugs with high-energy dance grooves.
The album is noted for its infectious basslines, sharp horn arrangements, and a mix of polished funk, disco, and rock influences.
Features vocals from The Temptations (Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Richard Street) on "Ghetto Life" and "Super Freak," and harmonica by Stevie Wonder on "Mr. Policeman".
Street Songs solidified James as a superstar and provided samples for numerous hip-hop hits, most notably MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This".
It was a shift toward a more aggressive, yet commercially accessible sound compared to his previous work, heavily inspired by his upbringing.
The album is considered the peak of Rick James' career, capturing a raw energy that revolutionized 1980s R&B. Street Songs has sold over four million copies and is often cited as one of the most influential R&B albums of the 1980s.