Rick James...DEAD!

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Say it ain't so!

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/06/rick.james/index.html

 

But..hes..rick..james...bi..atch....

 

Another Funky guy bites the dust... I't a shame!

 

Sorry to hear this. Dave Chapelle does a wicked Rick James impersonation.

 

I don't know, but I really don't find it to be a big deal. He had no relevance anymore except to mocked, and hadn't done anything worth something in like 15 years. He might as well have been dead for that amount of time for the impact he had.

It's sad that he died and I feel sorry for his family, but people shouldn't take this as another John Ritter, Johnny Cash or Warren Zevon.

 

He's gonna rock on to the eternal avenue.
And he aint goin higher.

 

This is almost as sad as Mister Rogers' death

 

I saw that on VH1 Classic earlier..i can't believe RIck James..Bitch...died..heh

 

@Benan

He did a great job on the southpark album! Only a few years ago!

 

Sleepless, I've never that album. And in my opinion a Southpark album isn't very relevant.

 

Southpark not relevant? You Bastard !

 

Benan,

Aside from Rick James being regarded as one of the most decadent pimp-daddy rock stars of the late 70's and early 80's, he's also widely credited with being at the forefront of bringing funk into the mainstream. If you don't think Rick James was relevant, then your musical knowledge is quite limited.

Just because he hasn't put out a relevant album in 15 years, despite retiring from music, doesn't make him irrelevant. Would you say the same about Loretta Lynn when she dies? What about Willie Nelson? James Brown? The Eagles?

 

James who?

I got Superfreak in my head for quite a while now. And Rick makes me think of Bootsy Collins somehow.

And please tell me that Jack Funk was not a nick of Rick James, because I have heard nothing of of our Dr.Funkenstein yet.

 

Dragonfly, Eddie Grant sang that song

 

Dr.Funkenstein is George Clinton If I'm right...

 

Death Rabbit.

Rick Jame released 1 album that had two or three good songs on it. Lorreta Lynn had a huge impact on country music, and female country musicians. Willie Nelson although he hasn't realeased an ablum in along time is still doing great things with Farm Aid and other charity foundations. And The Eagles only lasted a few years together, but the albums they released were all huge success's and there songs are still wideky enjoyed today.

Rick James in the other was a one hit wonder, who helped bring funk into the mainstream about as much as Apollo Four Forty brought Electonica into the mainstream. He helped a little, but guys like George Clinton did way more.

I just can't see how a guy who released one album, has one memorible, and the only reason he has any success today is because Dave Chappelle mocks him is a tragic loss to the music industry.

 

When that "one album" is considered a landmark album and a funk masterpiece, it's very significant. He had more than one hit off of "Street Songs," including "Give It To Me Baby" and "Fire and Desire," though "Super Freak" just happens to be the most well-known. When that album also goes triple-platinum, that's significant. Triple platinum is pretty big these days, but in the 80's it was considered amazing to even get past Gold. He then went on to be a revered producer and songwriter, and his talents have propelled many others to stardom. He won a grammy in 1990 for Mc Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." Mc Hammer practically owes his entire goofy ass career to Rick James.

While George Clinton made more albums and was a die-hard funk purist, James certainly isn't any less significant. Like I said - bringing funk into the mainstream can be credited more to James than to Clinton. If you ask people on the street, I guarantee you more people will have heard of Rick James than of George Clinton. Why? Mainstream success. Clinton was a purist, and never really cracked the mainstream (he never really wanted to). Rick James was more progressive, fusing rock, funk and R&B together and became a pop star for it (that, and being a big drugged-out horndog).

Ask any funk musician on earth and they'll say the same about James.

Rick James has been founding and running community outreach programs for drug addicts and abused women in New York for years.

Again - the same can be said for James, relatively speaking. The Eagles were a rock band - back in a time when rock WAS the mainstream, not just part of it. Funk was still in it's infancy. As far as widespread mainstream success...James is certainly no Eagles, I agree. It's even hard to compare the two - as they're from totally different genres, and those genres are on totally different popularity levels. But his songs still get airplay, believe me. My local 80's station plays his hits all the time.

True, he did receive a bit of a revival as of late thanks to Dave Chappelle. He even appeared on Chappelle's Show to get in on the joke. But to say that the only reason his death is news is because of Dave Chappelle, and because high-school kids now think they're clever when they say "I'm Rick James, bee-atch! Hahaha LOL!" ad nauseum, is just silly.

edit - Here's a good column that recognises both my praise and your derision - click here

[ August 11, 2004, 23:27: Message edited by: Death Rabbit ]