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The crazy freaky ego-tripping hyper-sexed drugged-up persona “Rick James” finally killed vastly talented singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, musician James Johnson Jr. at the age of 56.
He dressed like Bootsy, drugged like Sly Stone, strutted like a pimp, but invented his own brand of melodic, brassy funk in an incredibly fertile period between ’78 and ’84 with horny, effervescent deep-groove standards “You and I,” “Bustin’ Out,” “Fire It Up,” “Give It To Me Baby,” “Super Freak” (which was written as a joke, of course, making fun of the image that he himself had invented and fostered), ‘Dance Wit’ Me,” “Standing On the Top” (with the Temptations), “69 Times,” “Cold Blooded,” “17” and “Loosey’s Rap” (with Roxanne Shante).
They’re all here in the 2-CD Anthology, many in extendo-groove single form, along with assorted ballads of varying degrees of steam. The man lived the legend, was crushed by it, got back up, then drifted off in the night.
