Pop Quiz Flashback: Rick James, January 6, 2002

Pop Quiz Flashback: Rick James, January 6, 2002

Aidin Vaziri | When "Street Songs" was originally released, Rick James had it all -- leather cat suits, a harem of groupies and the regal title King of Funk. Twenty years later, he looks back on a career sidetracked by a debilitating addiction and seedy lifestyle that landed him in Folsom State Prison in 1993 on assault, drug and imprisonment charges. With his breakthrough album -- which contains the hits "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak" -- getting the reissue treatment this month, we tracked down James, 53, at his Los Angeles home (he was released from prison in 1996) to reflect on the past two turbulent decades. The funk singer passed away at 56 on Friday, August 6, 2004.



Rick James, January 6, 2002
Q: What would you say if you met that dude on the album cover now?
A: I would say, "Who the f-- are you, and what are you doing here? But I'm going to listen to you because you look outrageous."
Q: Would you try to give him advice and stuff?
A: I think I would try to find out what he knows. He's the one that's f-- smoking a joint on the corner. He's the one with Masai braids. He's the one with the prostitutes following him. He's the one on the cop's shoulders. He's the one who's ghetto fabulous.
Q: Do you have any regrets?
A: I think I would have got my cocaine from Colombia as opposed to on the street.