Rick James - Mr Funky, Sexy Soul!

Rick James is a very popular artist of 1970’s who gave new colours to the music world with his sizzling R&B, Soul and rock music. On the records, Rick James was given the title “The King of Punk Funk” because of the flaming hits that were ruling the charts and people all around used to mumble his songs. He handed round all the fields from singer and composer to record producer and bandleader.

Rick James was born in the year 1948 in New York and breathed his last breath at the age of fifty six, in the year 2004. Talking of the family background, Rick James belonged to a lower middle class family. Rick’s mother was a dancer and his father was an autoworker who discarded the family because he was not able to take up the responsibility. They were eight brothers and sisters, and he was third amongst them. Moreover, Rick also joined Naval Reserve of United States, but left it after some time because Naval’s schedule obstructed his music career.

Moving apart from the family background, Rick started his music career with his stage name Big Jimmy and performed with the band named “Sailor Boys” that was changed afterwards to “Mynah Birds”. This band’s first single debut was with the song “Mynah Bird Hop” for Columbia Records. Gradually the band included some new guitarists and drummers that again due to some controversies broke apart. So the boulevard was not easy for the celebrity. Later on, after an elongated break he came back as a songwriter and worked with distinguished people like The Spinners and Smokey Robinson and the miracles to name a few.

James formed many bands with different people but did not gained much fame being within the band and the band used to chunk due to many reasons. Although he gave many super hit numbers that were a mega blast and rocked the people. His lots of fans still have memories with them, of the late celebrity. Many of his albums, since 1970’s and 80’s have been still rocking people all around the world. For instance, Come Get It, Fire it up, Street Songs, Throwin’ Down, The Flag, Wonderful, Urban Rapsody and Anthology to name a few, were really heart touching. Apart from these albums there were sizzling singles also like Mary Jane, Fool on the Street, Big Time, Super Freak, Give it to me Baby, Standing on the top, Cold Blooded, U bring the freak out, Can’t Stop, Sweet and Sexy Thing, Loosey’s Rap and many more.

In 1990’s Rick became a drug addict and started to smoke cocaine more often. Later on he disclosed that for five years he used to spend seven thousand dollars a week on smoking cocaine. He had also been in controversies for many years like he was offended for stabbing two women. In addition to this, James along with a business man Hijazi kidnapped a music executive named Mary Sauger, who came up for a meeting session and was battered up by the two men. Rick was even imprisoned for some time and was always had run-ins with laws.

Even after the death of Rick James, there are a numerous people who still admire him a lot and keep Rick James alive in their hearts forever.

TJ Grooves

Rare Soul Grooves & Soul Music TV