I hate how underrated Rick James is. People only know Superfreak, Give it to me and Mary Jane. This man made some hot stuff in the 70s and 80s. Don’t sleep on that.
I felt that way too but I get it now, people who are underrated like Rick Jame are the dark matter to the universe or the true god particles we interact with daily, not even knowing is there.
Shows cigarettes are among the hardest habits to kick, more so than cocaine. And it's not just the nicotine. It's holding the actual physical cigarette, whether in your hand, or between your lips, unlit or not. In Rick's case, it could be a machine-rolled joint or blunt.
@@shanerobinson3455 not saying you're wrong or right but true blues music plays not only by chords but if your spirit ever connects to what you're playing and singing man you'd be surprised by some weird and strange notes
This is a rare glimpse of Rick behind the scenes & as such, should be considered a treasure by his fans. Many people only saw RICK JAMES, the manufactured stage persona & not James Ambrose Johnson, the man behind the carefully crafted image.
To improvise the way he was doing it is so raw, personal and involves all one’s focus and reaching deep within to draw out brilliance. And even in the presence of such greatness there were people selfishly chattering in the background. That is what it’s like as a true artist, often not appreciated or recognised to the degree they deserve. Life is lonely, and being famous and getting caught up in that lifestyle would only make it harder to find true connections based on soul and not celebrity.
I was fortunate enough to see him in concert while he was in his prime back in 1982 in Oakland CA. He was on his Super Freak tour. It was high energy and awesome.
I guess I missed what everyone else saw, as they've described him as "High As A Kite", Drunk, etc. To me it looks like a guy just chilling with some friends, while messing around with a guitar that's probably not his.
I heard the last time he was on the radio. He had just got out of jail. Someone had given him a 12 string. And he was singing as a free man on the radio. On a radio station. I heard it in San Diego. It was a religious experience. I turned up the radio to expose others to how cool Rick James was. A heart is outside of time until someone else tries to love it. We were all blessed by The life of Rick James. Tina Marie and Rick in Heaven Forever. So mote it be. Aloha.
This makes me sad and pisses me off all at the same time!! This was a king to me.. I personally own 6 of his original vinyl records and I'm looking at him reduced to playing an out of tune guitar..even though I'm sure he's just messing around having fun. I can't help but hate this! R.i.p king James..
slick rick looked like he was having a seance with all those candles in his own way i guess he was getting ready to come on home rip my brother u will be missed
I love you Rick an I remember I went to one of your concerts in Port Chester Ny. An you grabbed me out of the front row an gave me the biggest freakest kiss that I will never 4get! I couldn't sleep all week! I will always love you Rick, I grew up to your music an enjoyed alot of parties listen to your music❤ May you RIP. Brother❤🙏✌ God Bless💋🌹 A true Legend
I read his autobiography after rediscovering him as a result of the Charlie Murphy skits...he was an incredibly talented man...sad that he was" gone too soon"
We all go back to our roots. The Blues. The Blues don`t have to be perfect, they aren`t polished. The Blues are raw, the very basics. The Blues masters had nothing, and that`s what made them so magical and moving.
MY BLACK HERO RICK JAMES INFAMOUS BUFFALO NEW YORK LEGEND TO CANADA HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA AROUND THE WORLD AND BACK I LOVE THIS BROTHER FREE SPIRITED MAN UNSUNG GENIUS ARTIST
Say what's you want about rick but he lived the life of a thousand man. He lived life the way he wanted to. All of us will die too. I don't feel sorry for rick . I respect and idolize him. I wanna live free
What if you were high as shit and Rick James just popped up over your house and started playing guitar and singing in your living room? * mind blown *,
Finally... If Elvis can have behind the scenes footage for his fans to treasure, I see no reason why Rick can't have some for his. If he didn't want this to be seen, he could've & would've told the person to turn off the camera. It's obvious that Rick wasn't sad, so why should we be sad? It looks to me as though he was just bugging out & having fun. A lot of us do that.
im a HUGE rick James fan and for the life of me i dont see what some of you are complaining about, hes chillin like a real human at a get together. joking & having a good time, who cares? you are acting like hes falling all over himself and drunk in the gutter. I loved to see this insider video. COOL thanks for posting.
A week before his passing, Rick James Bitch came to the store I worked at. He and I sang Diana Ross's 'Upside Down' in the store because I had her music playing before he drove up in his rolls. I said what are you doing? I said shouldn't you be writing music, and when are you putting out an album. He didn't care for that, but he laughed and said he's always writing music cause he's Rick James' Bitch; then he told me to sing Upside Down with him, so we sang Upside Down acapella. My sassy butt kept it real; I said Mr. Bitch, what did he come up in here for? He said I came here for my ZigZags Bitch. I said how many boxes do you want this time? Mr. James said all of them included everything in the back room. He knew our shop carried his brand. So, Ms. Ross went off, and I went to the back and got what he and I said as I was selling it to him; Alright, don't smoke all these at once. Finally, he said to me Bitch you crazy give him his Sht, as he laughed out the open front end of the newsstand. That following Thursday, August 11, 2004, he passed. Since I don't do drugs. But I knew co-workers who smoked and used ZigZags. I had a feeling he didn't need them. If he was going to buy them, I'm glad it was from me Because, in those twenty minutes, I made him laugh, mad, self-judge him, pushed back, changed, and gave him adoration and respect, that his music brought my life and the world.
i almost died from a drug overdose 8 yrs back n it changed my life, i no longer do drugs n live a healthy life style, working out, etc. if only Rick would have done to same thing, he would still be here, miss u...
Thats right! We need good people, good food, good music and get away from bad relationships, stay away from drugs and booze and we dont have to end up dropping dead at young age!
@mglore u is silly how rick james kept the cigarette in his mouth i think rick knew he was at his last stage in his life he just didnt have that fire it up super freak funk in him nomore
Yes Prince lasted longer, but Rick James was and is King of Funk! You wouldn't hear him singing some of Princes songs thats 4 sure. He is good and has had some good songs, but please could u hear Rick singing Raspberry Beret & some of those songs? You & I, Funk, Cold Blooded, Superfreak, etc , Earth Wind and Fire. They are great! Please if Rick didn't screw up w/drugs he would still be making great Funk. Thats what I'm missing w/artists today. Don't compare him 2 Prince, different types of music
In a way he sounds like and reminds me of some old Jimi Hendrix stuff that he played/tinkered around with solo in the recording studio and at home with no one else around; I love seeing James just noodling and improvising some deep soulful blues and then going into beautiful angelic picking and peaceful singing.
hollyhobby666 yea he was n he did it drunk with a out of tune guitar by ear this ppl don't know music that's just how talented he was he did that shit by ear drunk
Oh my God That man had some talent I mean I know he’s wasted but fucking hell just listen to him. If he did this messed up and just think how good it would have been had he stayed sober. I love you dude rest in peace x
Man he was lit up on Nuclear Waste so efffed up. That last bit of I'm Rick James money finished him off. As an addict I can never forget that it can get you if you slip. It got Rick.
Coming across this is VERY SAD......they ALL DID NOTHING just watched him .....HERE HE NEEDS HELP ! ..THEY JUST WATCHED HIM DYING HE LOOKS HORRIBLE! THIS IS OF A DYING MAN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM ALL
nothing wrong with this video...the pipes and talent are there just without the flash...the only sad thing about it is that we all know this predated his imminent death...we're all going to this place
He had great talent, I thought during his last days he was off the drugs, being clean for a number of years. On the news, when they was talking about his autopsy he has cocaine, methamphetamine among other drugs in his system. (Man oh man). That what killed him, on top of that he had a pacemaker, developed diabetes, and stroke some years back. What a waisted at the tender age of 57 years old.😏😅
It's actually makes me sad I've seen Rick back in 78 when George Clinton opened up for him along with Sister Sledge and cameo Rick was at his Peak back then talented songwriter musician breaks my heart to see him like this guitar Out Of Tune just rambling on and who are these friends that are with him should have taken better care of him and not advantage
He should have been wearing a suit, just singing those blues with proper, sober musicians in a theatre and getting paid and making his comeback. So good and so depressing at the same time
well first of all, he was just relaxing a messing around. but if you listen to old blues guys, a lot of them played "out of tune". give him a break...he's chillin
Some look at this video and think "pathetic". What I see is a man, despite the disposition, doing what he LOVED to do - his passion. Now, I am going to research - but I think some of was on his "Deeper Still" released after his death. ...Somebody that knows melody can help me with this.
This is such a heartfelt and tragic blues, you can really tell how his post-stroke glimpse of hope in the late 90s very beginning of 2000's is all about gone here. Smoking a cigarette, even though he'd sworn off, definitely had some drugs in his systeem, and at a party and not with his family. Tragic.
I think he was definitely severely depressed at this time. I’ve heard from interviews of people that knew him say that his divorce in 2002 absolutely wrecked him and he got back on the drugs not long after.
just read his autobiog....and this is very valuable footage....yes, he died earlier cos of the drugs but he sure filled his life with fun ....and i don't think he would do it any different given another go...HE CAME HE SAW HE FUNKED !
My favorite Artist of all time. I couldn't finish this it is so sad. Hes just a shell of himself and no longer has his great voice or guitar ability. A life of drugs is never the answer.
