thekidsgirl said:

I'm feeling ya. I turned away, too. It was just too hard to watch. I love Teena, don't care for Rick, but I LOVE that "Fire and Desire" and they just didn't do it well last night! Even she sounded like she was straining. As far as Rick having had a stroke, he should accept what he can no longer do and go somewhere and sit down and stop trying to act like he's still got it going on, cause he ain't! (I've had to explain the "I'm Rick James, bitch" to a coupla folks who hadn't seen the Chappelle show! )

it was a trainwreck.

i thought rick james was going to have a heart attack.

As a serious Prince and Rick James fan from all the way bay to the beginning, I appreciate the competition and rivalry of two real musical geniuses. There are rivalries between today's artists but they are over bullshit...Prince and Rick James are BOTH legends. Sure Rick didn't enjoy as much crossover success as Prince but that does not make him any less of a legend.

A lot of you jumped on the Prince bandwagon with "Little Red Corvette" and "Purple Rain" and then went back and discovered the older albums. If you had been listening from the beginning, you would have been around to witness first hand the stiff competition between the two. Too many of you only know Rick James for "Super Freak". He was not a one hit wonder you know. Before "Purple Rain", the two of them were neck and neck with an album a year and to tell you the truth Rick had more albums than Prince because he did two albums in 1979 and Prince skipped a year in 1983. This time period, in my opinion, was Prince's best work because he had not crossed over yet and he had some real competition coming from a fellow black artist. If Prince had put out some experimental shit like he did in the years after "Purple Rain", Rick James would have chewed him up and spit him out. Prince would have lost his black fan base and he didn't have a very big white fan base at that time. I'm a HUGE fan of Rick James but if even if I weren't, I would thank the hell out of Rick James for forcing Prince to put out some of the baddest jams of his career.

As for Rick's bitterness towards Prince, a lot of it is understandable. Rick has accused Prince of stealing his ideas and from the looks of things, it could be true. Let's face it folks, I love Prince to death but he has not always been a perfect angel. Prince has been accused by his own ex bandmates of the same thing.

As for Rick's performance on BET, I did not see it. I stopped watching BET when hip hop took over the channel. I had no idea that Rick was going to be on there or I would have watched it. I hope they air again so I can see it. As for his performance being horrible, I don't doubt it. I heard him do a concert on Tom Joyner a couple of years ago and he sounded horrible. He sang every slow song of his career and when he ran out of his own, he started singing Teena Marie's. I was disappointed of course, I love Rick for the funk...the same reason I love Prince. But as disappointed as I was, I TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD. THE MAN HAD A STROKE FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!! What the hell is wrong with you people? Of course his performance was bad, a lot of people are never the same after a stroke. He just put on a bad performance, that doesn't take anything away from his musical legacy.

Rick is older than Prince also. If heaven forbid, Prince ever has a stroke, I truly hope you have more sympathy for him than you had for Rick.

JOEYCOCO said:

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH U! On the Andre 3000 bit.

It's already been done and to think that he has the audacity to come off as arrogant sometimes, it's like dude, you're just using every legend's bit to make your own persona. I don't buy it.

I can definitely say that his performances at the Grammy's and on BET is just full of shit! It all sucked and they won't ever get me to buy a ticket to their concerts.

On the otherhand, I love the blonde wig.

vainandy said:

I feel sorry for Rick. When I saw him perform, I noticed he sounded horrible also, but I mean, he's older and Teena didn't sound too great, because she's older too. It was good to see them both together and I really enjoyed the nostalgia.

Thanks Rick and Teena.

PS You're right, Prince is not angel and although I love his music, I know he's not the saint that he thinks he is, even now.

vainandy said:

I too remember Rick James from way back in the day before there even was Prince i what we used to call the "mary Jane years" he was without a doubt one funky mutha. But he never changed for the most part to me always remaining stuck to his records of the past (reminds me of R. KELLY)

Prince can by no means be characterized by this. Also to call the 1999/Purple Rain era anything less than "experimental pop" is insane, "WHen Doves Cry" alone, Irresistable Bitch, DMSR, and Lady Cab Driver were experimental tour de force. Sure he went much futher later on but hell he had already made it to the top

vainandy said:

I have to disagree.....Prince is the genius...look where he is at today. It's all about making the right decisons. And if you make wrong ones (which we are all guilty of) we try to LEARN FROM THEM and move forward. In this sad case of Rick James, NOONE pulled a gun to Freaky A**James' head and led him to a self inflicted STROKE. I repeat self inflicted. I think I would have more sympathy for poor Rick James had his stroke been caused by health related issues, but it was DRUGS for God's sake. RETIRE RICK, RETIRE.

As far as the comparisons between the two, that was then and this is now. It's a pretty tired comparison, ie Mani vs Mayte. I don't understand how people choose to continue to live and LOVE in the past!!!! Prince had his ups and downs, but decided to go down the path where he could achieve and continue success... If Rick James really wanted to, he could change alot of things about himself. I've seen many stroke victims survive and perservere. Don't use the stroke as a scapegoat. Remember he had a choice. Enuff said....nite

mmmkay...like we get that rick had a stroke..but thats the thing if u have a stroke and u kno it done fucked u up...stop....its over 4 u...he's had a good run..now he should stop. and if prince has a stroke and it fucks him up i hope he's smart enough 2 quit while he's ahead.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 1 0:57:39 2004 by Moonwalkbjrain]

I didn't see the awards show but I'll be watching when it reairs July 6th. Rick does indeed have some good shit from back in the day. Too bad he fucked himself up (which probably attributed to the stroke) & is pretty much washed up now. I love the Rick of old though (the music at least) but (if we're comparing, since we always seem to do around here, lol) Princey surpassed him years ago in every way possible...

Supernova said:

Rick may not be the man he used to be,but I still enjoy his old music.In the late 70s-early 80s,he was making some of the funkiest jams of all-time.

vainandy said:

Yes he had a stroke and that's too bad, but the bottom line is he's the one that abused drugs and was in jail for assaulting a women and one of the ones that believed that went down whether I was there or not. He did this to himself.

The thing about Rick that's a turn-off is he's always hatin' and runnin' his damn mouth and making negative comments about folks because he ain't got it goin' on no more, but he was known for doin' that back then. Him and Bobby Brown kill me. They are down scrapping at the bottom of the cup and they want to take as many people down with them because they have fallen and they can't get up!

If he had taken care of himself. His voice wouldn't sound like shit, nor would he look it. It's more than the stroke, it was his lifestyle.

Moonwalkbjrain said:

not true. She was trying to help him remember the lyrics. It's obvious that he forgot them.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH U! On the Andre 3000 bit.

It's already been done and to think that he has the audacity to come off as arrogant sometimes, it's like dude, you're just using every legend's bit to make your own persona. I don't buy it.

People used to say the same thing about Prince, he wasn't original--Joni Mitchell, Prince is me in another generation- Little richard, He plays's like Hendrix, he dances like James Brown, umm what else? Peole even said he ripped off rick James-- see vanity and Jill jones, Oh and the whole Vanity 6 idea? MaryJane Girls were better they could sing....

Anyway the point is everyone has influences, Andre acknowledges his influences as did Prince, it is not arrogant to believe in yourself. I like what Andre is doing. Its better than that pop shit and better than straight Rap too.

butterfli climbs down off the OUTKAST soapbox

i just think that outkast is being compared to prince b/c right now they are a hot hip hop group that is not like all the other rappers out there talking about the clubs, clothes, money, and hoez. They are in a league of there own....as is prince. Not one of these rappers out here can hold a candle to outkast's creativity and originality.

although they are definitley not a reminder of prince's multitalent, i think that outkast is better than most. And their album is really good too.

vainandy said:

Yes alot of people did jump on the Prince "bandwagon" after 1999 and Purple Rain. I think any good artist would invite people to go back and listen to the other works that he/she has done. In my case I was too young when controvesy and Dirty mind came out so when I got older I discovered it, bought it, and loved it! Secondly I think we all realize Rick had a stroke(that was brought on by his own stupidity). But I feel like if you can make an effort to criticize people(just like he did Alicia keys) and use foul language, then you could at least make an effort to sing and look at least a little decent

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

ok and don't forget all the drugs and booze which probably contributed to the stroke. Rick didn't take care of himself properly and usually that alters people's abillities to do even the most simple things. on the other hand there are some who live similar lives and seem to escape unscathed, but for the most part, they end up like Rick James. but that(drugs and booze) isn't why i had to edit this post twice.
[This message was edited Thu Jul 1 17:02:07 2004 by adorable2]
[This message was edited Thu Jul 1 17:05:34 2004 by adorable2]