Learn A Little About -
Rick James - Singer/Songwriter/Producer
James was born, James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. in
Buffalo, New York February 1, 1948. Among his well
known songs are "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You
and I".
James dropped out of high school at 15 to avoid a
possible draft and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. Only to
leave the Reserves and flee to Toronto Canada a year
later to pursue his music career where he formed his first
band, Mynha Birds.
The start of the 1990s brought with it a string of bizarre
and horrific incidents for Rick James. He was a known
drug user, mainly addicted to crack cocaine, which he
often smoked; he later admitted to spending about
US$7,000 a week on drugs for five years straight. In
1993, he was found guilty of holding a 24-year old
woman hostage for several days. He served two years in
Folsom Prison, and lost US$2 million in a civil suit.
On the morning of August 6, 2004, Rick James was
found dead in his Burbank, California home. James died
from pulmonary failure and cardiac failure with his
various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, a
pacemaker, and a heart attack.
Rick James - Singer/Songwriter/Producer
James was born, James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. in
Buffalo, New York February 1, 1948. Among his well
known songs are "Super Freak", "Mary Jane" and "You
and I".
James dropped out of high school at 15 to avoid a
possible draft and joined the U.S. Naval Reserve. Only to
leave the Reserves and flee to Toronto Canada a year
later to pursue his music career where he formed his first
band, Mynha Birds.
The start of the 1990s brought with it a string of bizarre
and horrific incidents for Rick James. He was a known
drug user, mainly addicted to crack cocaine, which he
often smoked; he later admitted to spending about
US$7,000 a week on drugs for five years straight. In
1993, he was found guilty of holding a 24-year old
woman hostage for several days. He served two years in
Folsom Prison, and lost US$2 million in a civil suit.
On the morning of August 6, 2004, Rick James was
found dead in his Burbank, California home. James died
from pulmonary failure and cardiac failure with his
various health conditions of diabetes, stroke, a
pacemaker, and a heart attack.
