Throughout the 1970s and 1980s singer, songwriter and producer Rick James dominated the R&B charts with funky dance hits like, “Super Freak,” “Give It To Me, Baby” and “Mary Jane.” But he was so much more than just a voice. His flashy costumes and long braids along with his natural way with the ladies made him a sex symbol who never met a party he didn’t like.
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But years of late nights and drug abuse would eventually take a toll on James and cut his amazing career short. He died tragically in his home in 2004 at age 56. But musical legacy lives on in samples by a new generation of great artists, including Mary J. Blige, Nicki Minaj, Drake and Common. And of course, we always have Dave Chappelle’s hilarious sketch impersonations to look back on.
In honor of a legend unlike any other, we’re looking back at the life of Rick James.
Born in Buffalo
Rick James was born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. on Feb. 1, 1948 in Buffalo, NY. One of eight siblings, James’s father abandoned the family when he was a young boy. His mother, Betty, often took him with her as she ran an illegal number running business to support her children on her own. But she also introduced James to her favorite jazz artists, including Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan.
He Went AWOL
By the time he was a teenager, James had found a love of music. He taught himself to play percussion, guitar and keyboard and started performing around his hometown on street corners and in clubs. After dropping out of high school, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. In the mid-1960s, James was drafted, but fled to Canada to avoid fighting in the Vietnam War. He also changed his name to Rick James so he wouldn’t be caught.
He Was in a Band With Neil Young
James made his way to Toronto and joined a band called The Mynah Birds along with future Buffalo Springfield members Neil Young and Bruce Palmer. The group was signed by Motown in 1966 and recorded a few singles. But when the label found out about James’ draft dodging, the deal was put on hold until Rick faced the consequences of his actions. He was sentenced to a year in a Navy prison.
Introducing Rick James
After serving his time, James found his way to Los Angeles and the city’s rock music scene. He performed with a few different bands before eventually launching his solo career with Motown in the 1970s. His first album, “Come Get It,” featured the hit song, “You and I.” His unique sound was a blend of funk, soul and disco that drew people to the dance floor. James performed and recorded exclusively with the Stone City Band.
A Different Kind of Motown Artist
A long-haired, hard-partying rock star singing about his love of Mary Jane was a complete 180 from the usually clean-cut, suit-wearing groups Motown Records was used to, like The Temptations. But he would soon carve his lane and set off on a path to superstardom.
Rick James v. James Johnson
Although Rick James was known as a ladies man who never met a party he didn’t like, James always maintained that James Johnson was a lot more mellow, as he said in an interview with David Letterman where he broke down the difference between his on and offstage personas.
“James Johnson is kind of laid back. He likes one woman at a time. Rick James is ‘gimmie, gimmie, gimmie,” he said.
James said his rock star image was just a character.
“I always felt like I was running away from something, either running away from success or running away from certain emotions that maybe I didn’t want to face,” he said in an interview included in an episode of ‘Unsung.’ “Having to go up in front of people and be this Rick James character that they wanted, a character that I created. It’s kind of like Jekyll and Hyde, you know?”
Teena Marie
One of Rick James’ most well-known musical collaborators was California native Mary Brockert, known to fans as Teena Marie. A mix of Portuguese, Italian, Irish and Native American roots, Marie grew up in a predominately Black Los Angeles suburb. She signed to Motown Records when she was 20, but struggled to find her place. That is, until Rick James took her under his wing after he was blown away by her soulful voice.
“I heard this girl singing her ass off,” he said an interview. “I walked in and here’s this white girl. I said, ‘Wow, you’re really great. Are you on Motown?”
James and Marie made musical magic together, recording hit duets, including “I’m a Sucker For Your Love,” a song he originally wrote with Diana Ross in mind, and “Fire and Desire,” which most people believe is about their short-lived romantic relationship.
Making ‘Street Songs’
At the start of the 1980s, Rick James made his way back to Buffalo to work on his second solo album, ‘Street Songs.’ And the result was a huge chart-topping success that gave us hits like “Give It To Me Baby” and “Super Freak.”
He Had Beef With Prince
It’s hard to talk about Rick James without comparing him to Prince. Both artists had a unique style and a way with the ladies and released their debut solo albums in 1978. But when James invited Prince on his 1980 “Fire It Up” tour, a rift formed between the two. Those close to the artists say there was some jealousy between the men and both accused each other of stealing their moves and their ideas for girl groups – Prince with Vanity 6 and Rick James with The Mary Jane Girls. But things got even uglier, when Rick James’s mother got involved. According to his memoir, “Glow,” James said Prince refused to sign an autograph for his mother, which pissed him off.
“Prince had dissed Mom and I was gonna kick his scrawny ass,” he wrote.
He Sued MC Hammer
MC Hammer famously sampled Rick James’ “Super Freak”on his 1990 breakout hit, “You Can’t Touch This.” But James wasn’t about to let Hammer take all of the credit for his song and sued the rapper for copyright infringement. The two eventually settled out of court, giving James songwriting credit, royalties and his only GRAMMY award when “You Can’t Touch This” won Best R&B Song in 1991.
He Dated Linda Blair
Rick James was a well-documented ladies man, but we don’t think we ever could have predicted that he’d count Linda Blair as one of his exes.
In an interview on “Sway in the Morning,” “The Exorcist” actress confirmed that she got involved with James after telling an interviewer in the 1980s that he was one of her favorite artists.
“The next thing I know, I get a phone call,” she said. “He was just an amazing person, funny and he was an amazing talent. He wrote half of his hits in 30 minutes.”
If that wasn’t crazy enough, in the same interview, she also hinted that Rick’s hit “Cold Blooded” was written about her.
Struggles With Addiction
Rick James sang happily about his love for Mary Jane, but his struggles with addiction were real and eventually led to the end of his career. In an interview, James talked about how going from snorting cocaine to freebasing gave him a rush unlike any other and eventually became a habit that cost him $8,000 per week.
Trouble With Tanya
In 1991, Rick James found himself in legal trouble when he and his then-girlfriend Tanya Hijazi were arrested for kidnapping and torturing a 24-year-old woman in James’ Hollywood home. Documents show the woman was held against her will for three days and endured several acts of torture, including being burned with the hot end of a crack pipe.
After a trial, James was convicted on charges, including assault and imprisonment. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Hijazi served a 15-month sentence.
Dave Chappelle’s Hilarious Tribute
Although the peak of Rick James’s popularity came during the 1970s and 80s, he found a new generation of fans after comedian Dave Chappelle did a hilarious portrayal of the singer in a sketch on “Chappelle’s Show” and coined the phrase, “I’m Rick James, b*ch.” In the skit, Charlie Murphy tells his own “True Hollywood Story” of hanging out with the hard-partying musician at Studio 54. Although
A Tragic Death
Rick James’ career comeback was tragically cut short. He passed away at his Burbank, California home on August 6, 2004 due to pulmonary and cardiac failure at age 56. Toxicology reports found nine drugs in his system, including methamphetamine, cocaine, Xanax and Valium, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Berry Gordy, Chaka Khan and Jermaine Jackson were among the celebrities that showed up to his funeral service in Los Angeles.
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