A couple things:<\/p>\n
— First off: I really don’t need to get a “breaking email” for the death of Rick James. I get scared when I see a “breaking email” notifications, what with Code Orange, and the general state of the world at the moment – so I have to admit – I opened it up, and saw “Rick James, Dead at 56” and I laughed out loud. I am evil.<\/p>\n
— Say what you will about his insane life (Rick? Untie that woman, and put. The crack pipe. DOWN) “Super Freak” still gets radio play and has the potential to turn any boring wedding into a wacked-out gyrating orgy<\/p>\n
— Super Freak came out when I was a child, 9, 10, playing Hopscotch, wearing Keds sneakers, and riding my bike at full-throttle through my neighborhood. I had Band-aids on my knees. I was a CHILD. But even still: “Super Freak” (with its extremely age-appropriate first line: “She’s a very kinky girl”) somehow filtered down into my consciousness. I knew OF the song. And it scared the CRAP out of me. I remember hearing it, and I felt very very uncomfortable. Something in me knew: This is about sex, and I’m not ready for any of that.<\/p>\n
— Additionally, I have a vivid memory of seeing him perform “Super Freak” on some show – maybe it was Solid Gold – and he had glitter all over his face so he looked slimy, or like he just came out of the pool – and that disturbed me (again, I was 10 years old) – and he also would take the microphone cord in his hands, and whip the microphone around wildly. This terrified me, for some reason. I didn’t like it.<\/p>\n
So all in all. These are my memories of Rick James.<\/p>\n
However: “Super Freak” (now that I’m grown up) is a great song, and obviously hugely influential. MC Hammer recognized the greatness of the sound of “Super Freak”, and Hammer’s song is, I submit to you, even better than the original. And you can still hear that guitar-line sampled in every other rap song.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A couple things: — First off: I really don’t need to get a “breaking email” for the death of Rick James. I get scared when I see a “breaking email” notifications, what with Code Orange, and the general state of … Continue reading