The tragic thing about Rick's life is that it wasn't the ghetto's of Buffalo that killed him. It was the material wealth, the fame, and all the madness that comes with that 'rock star' lifestyle.





Man i wanna slap the weave outta Rick for going out like he did...

MotownSubdivision said:

This song is the truth. Definitely a hidden gem if there ever was one.

Most definitely on all points.


I'm in a sentimental mood and just sitting here thinking of how drugs and what not, hampered Rick's creativity and eventually took his life. As good as Rick James was, just imagine if he had chosen another way(instead of drugs), how even more great he probably could have been.

Anyway IMO, Hollywood is one of those songs that makes a person say, damn, such a loss.

[Edited 3/7/15 17:14pm]

Rick's natural ability to craft sweet and moving ballads went mostly unnoticed during his lifetime. "Dream Maker", another song on his debut album, is nearly at the top of my favorities list.

Such a shame. His early-80s albums are classics. And I still feel as if back in the 1978-1982 era, Rick James was outfunking Prince completely. Eff that minimalistic Dirty Mind sound.. my favorite RJ song "Give It To Me Baby" kicked ass all over that. 1982-present is a different story, but I still feel that he was a true funk soldier. The fact he enjoyed only a few years of success before becoming essentially a cokehead throughout the 80s and 90s ( ) yet has inspired several R&B acts even today attests to that. But the dude really ruined his career. And I don't know if that allegation of him and his wife tying up and torturing the shit out of that woman back in the day is true, but I really hope it's not.

Either way, he was a troubled soul and may he R.I.P.

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever

CharismaDove said:

Such a shame. His early-80s albums are classics. And I still feel as if back in the 1978-1982 era, Rick James was outfunking Prince completely. Eff that minimalistic Dirty Mind sound.. my favorite RJ song "Give It To Me Baby" kicked ass all over that. 1982-present is a different story, but I still feel that he was a true funk soldier. The fact he enjoyed only a few years of success before becoming essentially a cokehead throughout the 80s and 90s ( ) yet has inspired several R&B acts even today attests to that. But the dude really ruined his career. And I don't know if that allegation of him and his wife tying up and torturing the shit out of that woman back in the day is true, but I really hope it's not.

Either way, he was a troubled soul and may he R.I.P.

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever

They weren't just "allegations", he went to jail. It's possible he didn't really have much of a recollection of what happened during those days due to using drugs. It most likely happened, in any case.

I've stated this before here, but Rick's first two albums destroy Prince's first two albums.

[Edited 3/10/15 13:02pm]

Such a good song.

Was listening to it just the other day.

Very moving ballads!

[img:$uid]http://scontent-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/1006151_10152999247330133_2039111633_n.jpg?oh=ac6541a56409d17a606c5057ae1eabdb&oe=5573B1D3[/img:$uid]

novabrkr said:

I've stated this before here, but Rick's first two albums destroy Prince's first two albums.

[Edited 3/10/15 13:02pm]

Love them both, but I'm sorry...this is TRUE & I agree. Rick wins that....TKO first round.

novabrkr said:

CharismaDove said:

Such a shame. His early-80s albums are classics. And I still feel as if back in the 1978-1982 era, Rick James was outfunking Prince completely. Eff that minimalistic Dirty Mind sound.. my favorite RJ song "Give It To Me Baby" kicked ass all over that. 1982-present is a different story, but I still feel that he was a true funk soldier. The fact he enjoyed only a few years of success before becoming essentially a cokehead throughout the 80s and 90s ( ) yet has inspired several R&B acts even today attests to that. But the dude really ruined his career. And I don't know if that allegation of him and his wife tying up and torturing the shit out of that woman back in the day is true, but I really hope it's not.

Either way, he was a troubled soul and may he R.I.P.

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever

They weren't just "allegations", he went to jail. It's possible he didn't really have much of a recollection of what happened during those days due to using drugs. It most likely happened, in any case.

I've stated this before here, but Rick's first two albums destroy Prince's first two albums.

[Edited 3/10/15 13:02pm]

He wasn't as decent a person as I thought he was.

Musically, hell yes, I feel that most of his early records beat Prince's. He played straight nasty pure funk and, unpopular opinion: Prince's Dirty Mind album is great, but it's TOO underfed. IMO, Prince was no real 'funk' king until 1999.

novabrkr said:

I've stated this before here, but Rick's first two albums destroy Prince's first two albums.

I'll go one step further and say that Street Songs is better than Controversy.

After 1981,of course,Prince was doing stronger,better albums.

Identity said:

SoulAlive said: After 1981,of course,Prince was doing stronger,better albums.

I agree with you there. Prince was youthful, combustible and his genius was coming into full blossom. In the 1980s, no one could touch him after his ascension.

Prince was moving ahead with each album.Rick was great,but too often he stuck with the same themes and ideas.

MotownSubdivision said:

I'll even say if it weren't for Rick James, there'd be no Prince. The thing is though, once Prince got creative, he got creative, no recycling and continued pushing forward. Rick plateaued with Street Songs and while Throwin' Down followed the same formula, it hadn't tired out yet but Rick kept dropping SS subsequently under a different name. Granted, I haven't listened to his post-TD material but that seems to be the consensus on his discography. Dude pretty much wasted his talent for the second half of his career; it's sad thinking about what could have been with Rick.

Throwin Down is a great album but to be honest,it basically sounds like Street Songs II.Alot of the same ideas and sounds are used again.When it's good,though,it's really good."69 Times" is one of Rick's finest,yet most underrated,singles.

Cold Blooded introduced a new sound for Rick....a colder,more electronic sound featuring more synths.But the lyrical themes were still the same,on songs like "U Bring The Freak Out" and the title track.A year later,Rick came out with the catchy but predictable single "17",followed by more songs in that vein.

Yeah, I haven't heard Cold Blooded but based on your description it follows the same trend of that single he recorded for Beverly Hills Cop which is perfect seedy 80s music.

I love music from that decade as well as the mostly dated production value (whether it holds up or not is another thing) but that song... ehhh. Some times it's listenable, other times I can't get past that synth organ riff.

MotownSubdivision said:

Yeah, I haven't heard Cold Blooded but based on your description it follows the same trend of that single he recorded for Beverly Hills Cop which is perfect seedy 80s music.

I love music from that decade as well as the mostly dated production value (whether it holds up or not is another thing) but that song... ehhh. Some times it's listenable, other times I can't get past that synth organ riff.

Have you ever heard his 1985 album Glow? It's often considered a flop,but I think there are some cool songs on this album.

SoulAlive said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Yeah, I haven't heard Cold Blooded but based on your description it follows the same trend of that single he recorded for Beverly Hills Cop which is perfect seedy 80s music.

I love music from that decade as well as the mostly dated production value (whether it holds up or not is another thing) but that song... ehhh. Some times it's listenable, other times I can't get past that synth organ riff.

Have you ever heard his 1985 album Glow? It's often considered a flop,but I think there are some cool songs on this album.

I still need Glow on CD.