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Thread started 03/07/15 3:23pm

JoeyC

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Rick James-Hollywood



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... mad



Rest in Peace Bettie Boo. See u soon.
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Reply #1 posted 03/07/15 4:55pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

This song is the truth. Definitely a hidden gem if there ever was one.
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Reply #2 posted 03/07/15 5:12pm

JoeyC

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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]

Rest in Peace Bettie Boo. See u soon.
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Reply #3 posted 03/08/15 10:43am

MotownSubdivis
ion

Couldn't have said it better man! This song is worthy of analysis based on the story it tells and how it relates to Rick's life (and untimely death).

Rick in general even in death doesn't receive the recognition he deserves as an artist.
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Reply #4 posted 03/08/15 1:55pm

SoulAlive

Great song. music I remember it was the B-side of the "You And I" 45 single
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Reply #5 posted 03/09/15 8:50am

Identity

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.

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Reply #6 posted 03/09/15 4:52pm

CharismaDove

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 ( confused ) 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. pray

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever headbang

Maybe eye do, just not like eye did before pimp2
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Reply #7 posted 03/09/15 10:59pm

novabrkr

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 ( confused ) 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. pray

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever headbang


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]

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Reply #8 posted 03/10/15 8:39am

mancabdriver

Such a good song.

Was listening to it just the other day.

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Reply #9 posted 03/10/15 9:52am

Cinny

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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]

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Reply #10 posted 03/11/15 3:00am

JamFanHot

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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.

Funk Is It's Own Reward
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Reply #11 posted 03/11/15 1:20pm

CharismaDove

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 ( confused ) 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. pray

People'll be jamming 'Super Freak' forever headbang


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]


disbelief 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.

Maybe eye do, just not like eye did before pimp2
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Reply #12 posted 03/14/15 9:40am

SoulAlive

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.

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Reply #13 posted 03/14/15 10:32am

Identity


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.




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Reply #14 posted 03/14/15 10:51am

SoulAlive

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.




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

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Reply #15 posted 03/14/15 11:00am

MotownSubdivis
ion

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.
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Reply #16 posted 03/18/15 12:44am

SoulAlive

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.

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Reply #17 posted 03/18/15 5:22am

MotownSubdivis
ion

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.

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Reply #18 posted 03/18/15 9:12am

SoulAlive

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.

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Reply #19 posted 03/18/15 10:06am

Cinny

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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. CD

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