Upon his release, he cleaned up his act and went back into the studio, releasing his final LP, Urban Rhapsody, in 1997. James was later convicted of felonies stemming from two coke-fueled assaults on women, and spent several years behind bars in the '90s. His own hits continued with singles like "17" and "Cold Blooded," though the rise of hip-hop and his growing drug dependency soon derailed his illustrious career. Blessed with a unique sound that drew from disco, New Wave and R&B, he was at the top of his game as a solo artist and producer in the early '80s, putting together key albums with the Mary Jane Girls, Teena Marie and Eddie Murphy, among others.
His reign on the charts started shortly thereafter, thanks to supremely funky singles like "Mary Jane" and "Give It To Me Baby." His biggest hit and signature track was the aptly titled "Super Freak," one of the most popular songs of 1981. James played bass with many different bands before landing a solo deal with Motown in the late 1970s.
Among the most popular, successful, flamboyant and notorious funk pioneers, Rick James began his career in Toronto, playing in a group called Mynah Birds, which also included Neil Young and Goldy McJohn (Steppenwolf).