Rick James quotes:

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 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.

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.

I think the people are just looking for freedom in music...There's a lot of she-bop she-bop going on out there. Maybe they're tired of that same old thing.

I'm trying to change the root of funk, trying to make it more progressive, more melodic and more lyrically structured.

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....

I'm still James Johnson. Rick James is a stage name. James Johnson keeps Rick James on the ground... Kind of sort of.

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.

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.

I wanted my show to look like the fourth of July.

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.

Funkers are people who dig the funk; Little funkers, Big funkers, Old funkers, Young funkers, Foxy funkers, Mother funkers, Papa funkers.

If anything I consider myself non-violent, I'm from the hippy era, peace, love, groovy.

I believe everything happens under God's plan anyway.

That girl is pretty kinky, the girl's a super-freak, I'd really like to taste her.

I mean, Rick James was just a man-made image, the image I created. Just trying to live Rick James almost killed me.

I decided to build up my band in Buffalo because Buffalo was where I had originally built up my own musical strength.

You can't have rock and roll without drugs, you can't have rock and roll without sex.

I'm a long way from Ike Turner.

I went to India, lived, and studied.

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 dont have aluminum foil on my windows anymore.

I had always been a free spirit, and always gotten what I wanted.

If anything I consider myself non-violent. I'm from the hippy era, peace, love, groovy.

I just live one day at a time.

I'm really not tailored for responsibility.

I don't have aluminum foil on my windows anymore.

I had always been a free spirit and always gotten what I wanted.

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.

I don't try to hide sex in my music. Music is very sexual. I don't hide it.

I feel that I have to say something in a song and that it's not just enough to lay down the music.

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.

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.

I wanted to play the Apollo Theater because I didn't think I was going to be on the earth long.

I was going to get drafted, but I didn't really want to go into the Army.

I'm finally locked into the now, and it's great.

I'm too old to do crazy things anymore.

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.

My music is pretty honest. I can't rap on science fiction. Punk is from the street.

My teacher said I would either be a hoodlum, or a great entertainer.

Now is my time. Everything I've done up to this point is just a warm up. This is where it all begins.

Off stage it's cool-out time. You can't funk and roll ALL the time.

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.

She's the kind you don't take home to mother.

When I'm about Rick James, it's all about get out there and kill 'em.

Whether you're rich or poor, life's still cold-blooded.

You and I, we'll be together 'til the six is nine.

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.