1981 - Street Songs - Rick James
- bribriny
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
35 Years Ago - 1981 Rick James released his fifth album Street Songs.
At the 1982 Grammy Awards he was nominated for Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance for the album while being the first African American male artist to be nominated in the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance category for the song
The sheer star power of this album. Mary Jane Girls, Teena Marie, Narada Michael Walden, Gerald Albright, Stevie Wonder plays harmonica, backing vocals from Ja'net Dubois who sings the Jeffersons theme song "Movin' On Up" (also an actress on Good times as Willona Woods the neighborhood gossip maven,) Lawrence HIlton-Jacobs aka Freddie Boom-Boom Washington on Welcome Back Kotter.
"Super Freak" features background vocals from the Temptations. James apparently was not particularly excited about the song, but reputedly wanted to have something on the album that "white folks could dance to." It peaked at #16, #3 R&B, #1 Club.
"Ghetto Life" made #38 R&B.
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