Song:Super Freak
Album:Anthology
It's likely that if Rick James had been able to stay out of trouble and off drugs he would have been a much bigger star. As it stands, hits like Super Freak saved Motown Records from bankruptcy in the 80s. He was born James Ambrose Johnson Jr. Feb. 1, 1948 in Buffalo. His mother was a dancer who worked as a numbers runner to earn a living. James got into drugs and criminal activity as a teen. He went to jail for burglary. He lied about his age to join the US Navy. He was trying to avoid being drafted for the Vietnam War. When that didn't work, he fled to Toronto and became friends with Neil Young. He changed his name to Ricky James Matthews to avoid US military authorities. He formed The Mynah Birds with Neil Young and Bruce Palmer. At one point the band went to Detroit to record for Motown. James met Stevie Wonder who suggested shortening his name to Ricky James. When Motown found out James was a fugitive, the contract was cancelled. James was jailed by the US Navy and he even escaped and went on the lam. After serving his time, James moved back to Toronto. After working as a producer for Motown, James moved to Los Angeles. He moved back to Buffalo and formed Stone City Band in 1976. The single Get Up And Dance got James a deal with Motown. The 1978 album Come Get It! featured the top 20 hit You & I. The album was certified Gold. In addition to his own albums, James had success as a producer especially with Teena Marie. She was very successful. Super Freak is from James' 1981 album Street Songs. It was a top 20 hit. But it's probably better known as the base for MC Hammer's 1991 hit You Can't Touch This. The lyrics for Super Freak were so raunchy, it probably could not have been a hit except Los Angeles DJ Alonzo Miller helped James tone it down. He got a songwriting credit for that. The sax solo is by Stone City Band member Daniel LeMelle. You can get Super Freak and James' other hits on this 2CD budget comp. If you want the longer 12" version of Super Freak, it is on the CD reissue of Street Songs. By the mid-80s, James faded though he produced the Eddie Murphy hit Party All The Time. He left Motown for Warner's Reprise label in 1986. James was dropped after two albums. That's when his cocaine addiction got him into trouble. That and a kidnapping charge landed James in jail for two years. James died on Aug. 6, 2004 at age 56. At the time he was writing his autobiography which his co-writer David Ritz published in 2014. Here's the video for Super Freak by Rick James.
It is really shame about him. He had a lot of talent. I saw a brief video of his life and how he grew up in a very tough neighborhood and in the projects. The drugs really did him in and its to bad, he could have done much more musically.
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