Singer Rick James, 56 has died.

[krimson]

Funk Singer Rick James Dies in Los Angeles

Aug 6, 3:25 PM (ET)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Funk singer Rick James, best known for the 1981 hit "Super Freak," died Friday, apparently of natural causes, police said.

James, 56, died at 9:45 a.m. at a residence near Universal City, said Officer Esther Reyes, a Police Department spokeswoman.

"He died apparently of natural causes. We learned of his death after responding to a radio call," Reyes said.

After his big hit, James' fame began to fade as he became embroiled in legal problems and health troubles.

James was convicted in 1993 of assaulting two women. The first attack occurred in 1991 when he restrained and burned a young woman with a hot pipe during a cocaine binge at his house in West Hollywood. He was free on bail when the second assault occurred in 1992 in James' hotel room.

James was sentenced to more than two years in state prison.

In 1997, he released a new album, but a year later he suffered a stroke while performing at Denver's Mammoth Events Center, derailing a comeback tour.

In 1998 he also underwent hip replacement surgery.

[tpjunkie]

"cocaine is a hell of a drug"

[Thom_Edwards]

"cocaine is a hell of a drug"


that is way too funny. before i got to the bottom of the page to read your post, i said the same thing out loud to myself.

U N I T Y ! ! !

[musicpyrite]

I'd never heard of Rick James until today, and I downloaded some of his music, and I'm likin it.

Guess it took dyeing for me to like his music.

[Kingsnapped]

And yet, the stupid kids quoting Chapelle's show live on...

I'm Rick James, bitch

/unoriginal

[medea]

Yes, sadly a large majority of people will only know of Rick James from Chapelles show, how it's possible for people to not know Rick James is beyond me. Anyways the man lived a lot longer than I imagined he would. RIP.

[Spock]

Well he wont be rubbing his feet in Eddies couch again.

[Macmaniac]

Super Freak, Super Freak!

I'll put you in the Rick James suite, its Super Freaky...
-Police Chief Wiggum

[CubaTBird]

His song ghetto life is in fever 105 in vice city for pc/ps2 which is interesting to note. It probably was his only other hit.

[Counterfit]

My aunt told me once that she was in bar one night, back when she lived in Cali, and Rick James and another woman asked her to join them. :eek: She declined and got out of there (as the woman was still checking her out) :D

That said, his musical talent and soul will be deeply missed. :(

[bousozoku]

Geez, this is more bad news for music although I don't think he's done so much lately. I've heard Mary Jane twice in the last week and have two others of his on the current mp3 CD in my car.

[wdlove]

My prayers go out to his family and friends. May he rest in peace. Just goes to show what ETOH and Cocaine can cause. I was surprised to learn that the bopping of his head was the cause of this stroke. :eek: :(

[vollspacken]

don't do coke, man..!

that's pretty sad, his music was pretty funky (BTW, he had also produced Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time"... :D)

vSpacken

[homerjward]

i know it might seem a little offensive to say after he died, but i dont like his music. im not a big fan of soul and such. altho he will live on on chappelle's season 1 dvd!! :cool: (i think its season 1)
a little spoof on the old diet coke commercials where they say just for the taste of it: "just cause rick james does it, smokin' coke"

[homerjward]

yes i know u smoke crack and snort coke but that doesnt work in teh song

[iLikeMyiMac]

Yes, sadly a large majority of people will only know of Rick James from Chapelles show, how it's possible for people to not know Rick James is beyond me. Anyways the man lived a lot longer than I imagined he would. RIP.
I was reading the morning paper today and stumbled upon this.
Source:ucomics.com/boondocks/ (http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/)