Talk:Rick James

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[edit] awol?

as i understand it, he wasnt awol

[edit] HEADLINE

, he was charged with draft evasion. AWOL would be if be was already in the armed forces.Kas0809 (talk) 05:39, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fictional?

Maybe I'm just being naïve or maybe I'm playing Devil's Advocate, but by what grounds is the Chappelle's Show bit ruled "fictional?" Is there any source for this assumption? It was not presented as fiction, especially considering they had Rick James appear on the show. I'm not going to sweep it away just yet, but I'd like to get some discussion going on this. --Feitclub 06:39, Jan 29, 2005 (UTC)

They had Rick James appear on the show to help the joke go across. It's all obviously scripted and fiction. --b. Touch 06:43, 29 Jan 2005 (UTC)
Again, I don't know how "obivious" it is. I think the notion that this might be a true story is entirely plausible, but I also find it believably fictional. Has anyone clarified this is an interview or something? --Feitclub 22:43, Jan 29, 2005 (UTC)
On the DVD release of the second season of Chapelle's Show, there are extended interviews about the altercations between Charlie Murphy and Rick James. According to the extended interviews, Rick doesn't agree with Charile's retelling 100%, but does go on to affirm how much of a close family friend Rick was to the Murphy's and vice versa 216.206.178.36 13:45, June 5, 2006 (UTC)
China club incident apparently was true.

-G

It's hard to believe any of the incidents in the sketch are true, after all the show is a comedy. Do you see people adding the events of the infamous Wayne Brady sketch as factual information? I doubt it, until it's proven that all of the incidents are true or untrue it should be seen as nothing more than what it appears to be, a comedy sketch. Eatspie (talk) 01:42, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Nice

I like that link above really nice It's true just shut the heck up with the rick james joke it's old and not funny! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Kmg90 (talkcontribs) 19:29, March 3, 2005 (UTC)

The Chappelle stuff really needs to go. Just because when most people think Rick James, they think Chappelle, doesn't mean that it deserves so much space on his page. In fact, it shouldn't even be mentioned at all. Frankly what he ate for dinner on some date is more important than this catch-phrase dribble. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.80.98.165 (talkcontribs) 15:36, April 7, 2005 (UTC)
Actually, the fact that most people thin of Chappelle when they think of James is exactly why it needs to stay. It made Rick James relevant again to a wide audience, exposing him to people who didn't know much about him. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.137.234.129 (talk • contribs) 14:20, January 5, 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dave Chappelle and Charlie Murphy more documentary than spoof

From 1978 - 1981, I was a member of a celebrity roller-skating club, Skataway. Every Monday we would skate at Sherman Square in Canoga Park, then move the party to the El Privado Club on the Sunset Strip.

Not only did I have many opportunities to observe Rick James, on one occasion I had a shoving match with him and his entourage exactly along the lines of Charlie Murphy's depiction. My surprise about the sketch was wondering how Dave could be so accurate since at the time he was seven years old or less.

As for the shoving match: I, who am Black, was dancing with my white girlfriend. One of Rick's people came over and said, "Rick says he's surprised that you're dancing with a white woman!" Frankly, I didn't know Rick knew I existed. My reply, "Tell Rick, I'm surprised he's dancing with a girl!" Exploding over to fight me, there was pretty much the "I'm Rick James, bitch!" exclamation, as his people prevented an actual fight. Word! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Tony R (talk • contribs) 23:23, May 19, 2005 (UTC)

No offense intended but you're not exactly a credible source for information, I'm not saying this incident didn't occur but it can not be proven. Eatspie (talk) 02:43, 15 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] legitimacy of including "Chappelle Show" bit

Just in case anybody with a dreariously serious bend is thinking about axing or reducing the Chappelle Show section in the future, please keep in mind that it even earned a mention in Mr. James' LA Times Obituary. Bobak 19:25, 17 January 2006 (UTC)

Demand Media has ruined airliners.net.

[edit] Picture?

This article needs a picture or two. (Sorry, I'm incompetent in the world of uploading)Coquigamer 02:34, 29 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Busta Rhymes

Is there really any need for the last paragraph in the 'Death' section? It may inform the reader about some new Rick James material, but it's mostly an advert for new Busta Rhymes album- it even reads like PR material. Delete? Or at best, trim it? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 84.70.92.163 (talk • contribs) 16:45, February 17, 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Death

What happened to the "Death" section anyway? 216.79.251.161 03:18, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Discography

  • Perhaps someone with a knowledge of Rick James could provide a discography? TheDavesr 04:52, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] James age

If James' listed birthdate is correct, then he was 16 when he went to Canada in the summer of 1964. Also, if he was doing weekend training, then he was in the US Navy reserve, not the active navy. --Blainster 22:06, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Vandalism

Fixed up what appeared to be some blatant vandalism in the death section, reverting it back, to the best of my knowledge, to what it most likely read beforehand. Nhbelongstome 02:38, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Fixed some more blatant vandalism in the death section again.

[edit] Bwa?

Why does a search for "nigger death" redirect here? Jtrainor 03:49, 19 March 2007 (UTC)


Pfft. That's ridiculous.

[edit] This page needs a lot of cleanup

As usual, I'm not the expert here, but this page needs some major restructuring to shorten or remove inconsequential stuff and to expand the treatment of James's actual musical accomplishments during his most active and successful period, 1979-86 or so. Suggestions of what an expert might contribute:

  • A discography
  • A deeper discussion of James's different albums
  • A discussion of James's production work for Motown with the Mary Jane Girls and others
  • A discussion on James's revival of Motown's good fortunes after a few lean years, and possibly his role as "the last huge black artist with little impact in the white mainstream" (before Soundscan, in other words)
  • A removal of references to games and samplings and a shortening of the Chapelle's Show reference
  • A discussion on James's long term impact (paved way for Prince and others, coined term "Punk Funk", etc.)
  • Abbreviating the early career material and late career material that currently takes up over twice as much room as the "main career" bit...

Birdseed 22:12, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] You've got to have "I'm Rick James, bitch!" in here somewhere.

I agree that it doesn't belong in the main section of the article. But if you're going to have a Pop Culture References section at all - and I see no reason why you shouldn't - there is no way you can justify not including it there. F*** yo' couch! Ribonucleic 22:36, 30 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cake Song

Cake (band) recorded a song called "Meanwhile, Rick James..." on their album Comfort Eagle. Possibly worth a mention in the Pop Culture References section --80.74.4.240 13:38, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Please add the link to Occitan wikipedia

[[oc:Rick James]] Thank you, 201.0.66.39 15:09, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Why can't you add it yourself? --OuroborosCobra 15:44, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Mess Up

It's "Fuck 'yo couch nigga". BLACK POWER!!!!!! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.171.159.252 (talk) 02:02, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What's this supposed to mean, anyway?

At age 16, James ate the U.S. Naval Reserve after dropping out of a airplane.

Wtf? I changed the word 'ate' to 'left', but can anyone check this? How the hell do you eat a naval reserve? ...ugh. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gobbleodobble (talk • contribs) 05:02, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

Don't knock it till you try it.

-G

I've fixed it. Carl.bunderson (talk) 06:11, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

Rick James was born in 1953 as cited on other websites. I know Rick James was born in 1953,before he died not much was known about him in the 60s,then we find inconsistancies like he was in the navy at 16,why not realize maybe Rick made himself older for some reasons.Remember the Al Lewis story.Can someone look up Rick James's birth records.They will say Rick James born February 1 1953.3 sites stated that Rick was born in 1953.It was concievable before his death for Rick to have been born in 1952.Why not list RIck born in 1953 and find his records —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jason69535554 (talkcontribs) 21:48, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Age when he went AWOL

If no-one's sure how old he was when he went AWOL, can we put 'In 1964, he went AWOL ...' as a temporary measure? I know it's somewhat inelegant, but it's better than the present arrangement. Nowheir Apparent (talk) 11:31, 11 June 2008 (UTC)