Rick James
I believe everything happens under God's plan anyway.
I'm trying to change the root of funk, trying to make it more progressive, more melodic and more lyrically structured.
I wrote and produced millions and millions of selling records, so my publishing company alone was worth millions of dollars. I didn't have to work anymore in life because when the rappers started sampling... I'm the most sampled artist in history.
If anything I consider myself non-violent, I'm from the hippy era, peace, love, groovy.
After I saw Kiss on stage, I wanted my show to look like the fourth of July. The persona of Rick James was wild and crazy, sex, drugs and rock and roll.
I'm finally locked into the now, and it's great.
You can't have rock and roll without drugs, you can't have rock and roll without sex.
I don't have aluminum foil on my windows anymore.
I mean, Rick James was just a man-made image, the image I created. Just trying to live Rick James almost killed me.
I went to India, lived, and studied.
I just live one day at a time.
I was angry about the fact that my father would beat my mother on a daily basis, that my mother would take it in turn and beat on me. I was an abused child. I was mad about all those things, very bitter and very angry.
I was going to get drafted, but I didn't really want to go into the Army.
I love rap.
I think rap definitely has its place in the art world. I think it is an art form. But, just like any art form, you can misuse it.
I'm really not tailored for responsibility.
I'm too old to do crazy things anymore.
I had always been a free spirit and always gotten what I wanted.
I wanted to play the Apollo because I didn't think I was going to be on the earth long.
I'm a long way from Ike Turner.
Funkers are people who dig the funk; Little funkers, Big funkers, Old funkers, Young funkers, Foxy funkers, Mother funkers, Papa funkers.Collection: Mother
Whether you're rich or poor, life's still cold-blooded.Collection: Rich Or Poor
I can't hang out as loose as I used to, but I can still go down Jefferson Avenue and look in the faces of winos, pimps and junkies, all the things I'm made of.Collection: Pimp
Now is my time. Everything I've done up to this point is just a warm up. This is where it all begins.Collection: Done
She's the kind you don't take home to mother.Collection: Friendship
I love marijuana - Mary Jane - and you can print that! I smoke it every day and it's the greatest thing since ice cream and I'm not afraid to say it.Collection: Marijuana
My teacher said I would either be a hoodlum, or a great entertainer.Collection: Teacher
Punk Funk means to be one with yourself. To be rebellious, aggressive, able to do and say what you feel at all times, without inflicting mental or spiritual pain.Collection: Spiritual
KISS hammered home the importance of high drama...I decided to design my show with the same goal; I wanted my fans to remember my show for the rest of their lives.Collection: Drama
I had always been a free spirit, and always gotten what I wanted.Collection: Free Spirit
You and I, we'll be together 'til the six is nine.Collection: Together
I didn't even think I would make it that long. I thought I would drug overdose, like Jimi Hendrix. I thank God every day to even be here.Collection: Thinking
If I told you Jesus Christ was black you're going to be afraid of me because I'm telling you the truth. That's where I always come from.Collection: Jesus
I get some letters from girls that if their mothers knew what they were writing me in these letters, they'd get their butts whipped.Collection: Girl
I try to make the audience forget all their problems -- for an hour and a half or so get them out of themselves, and space, and time, and consciousness.Collection: Space
Anybody that's old and closed-minded does not like Rick James... They don't like the fact that I'm free and I'm wide open.Collection: Doe
If anything I consider myself non-violent. I'm from the hippy era, peace, love, groovy.Collection: Love
I'm still James Johnson. Rick James is a stage name. James Johnson keeps Rick James on the ground... Kind of sort of.Collection: Names
I don't try to hide sex in my music. Music is very sexual. I don't hide it.Collection: Sex
I wanted my show to look like the fourth of July.Collection: July
I'm in love with mary jane. she's my main thing. she makes me feel alright. she makes my heart sing. and when I'm feeling low, she comes as no suprise. turns me on with her love, takes me to paradiiiiise do you love me mary jane, yeah now do you think you love me mary jane don't you play no game.Collection: Weed
I'm good. Or maybe people just like me.Collection: People
I was angry about the fact that my father would beat my mother on a daily basis, that my mother would like take it in turn and beat on me. I was an abused child. I was mad about all those things, very bitter and very angry.Collection: Mother
I don't think the white establishment will ever respect or appreciate a black man who speaks the truth.Collection: Men
Off stage it's cool-out time. You can't funk and roll ALL the time.Collection: Stage
I dont have aluminum foil on my windows anymore.Collection: Aluminum Foil
I had $20 million in the bank, girls are following me all over the f - place, people call my name everywhere I go. What would I change? And then one day you get onstage and you see two little girls who look like they are 11 years old sticking their tongues out and pulling their bras down and you quit touring. That's what happened to me.Collection: Girl
My music is pretty honest. I can't rap on science fiction. Punk is from the street.Collection: Rap
You can't outdo 'Street Songs' and I didn’t even try. [It] had that special magic that comes with timing and good vibrations and you can't even try to capture that exactly again.Collection: Song
Prison was a blessing. Going to prison was the greatest thing that happened to me. It showed me that I wasn't infallible. It showed me that I was just human. It showed me that I can be back with my ghetto brothers I grew up with and have a good time. It taught me to cool out. It taught me patience. It taught me that I didn't ever want to lose my freedom. It taught me that drugs bring on the devil. It taught me to grow up.Collection: Brother