Rick James Quotations

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.

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

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

I believe everything happens under God's plan anyway.

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

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.

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

I just live one day at a time.

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

I dont have aluminum foil on my windows anymore.

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

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

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.

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

I'm too old to do crazy things anymore.

I have some white customers but not as many as I'd like. I think some people feel intimidated walking into a barbershop like this, but I'm trying to change that. When people come in here and they ask 'do you cut white folks' hair?' I always say I cut hair period. Of all colors, white, green blue, whatever you got.

He will stand in front of the district court and plea guilty or not guilty. We do not have any plea agreement in place, so we will set a court date at that time.

You don't really know your own worth because you don't know what may happen tomorrow.

The Grand Princess is going to have the first wedding chapel at sea where the captain can actually marry you and you can have your reception on board. The choices on board these ships are second-to-none, and I would challenge any resort vacation to deliver the type of vacations that these new grand-class ships are going to deliver.

We didn't know if it was because we're a mixed-race couple or if it is because she was a TV personality or I was the guy from radio.

Somebody told me it's the oldest legitimate black-owned business enterprise. It's pretty much the cornerstone of the black community.

I'm very bitter about how I've been treated, there are some things I want to bring into the light, I'm glad I came here. This is the longest time I've been straight and sober. But if I wanted to get high tomorrow - my drug of choice-I could do it in this penitentiary. It comes with the territory. But I fight the feeling.

I assume they'll be expelled. I mean, I know the school wouldn't ever let an athlete play here if they did something like this, so why would a student be allowed to stay?

I went to India, lived, and studied.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm a long way from Ike Turner.

I don't try to hide sex in my music. Music is very sexual. I don't hide 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 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'm really not tailored for responsibility.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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....

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.