*James Ambrose Johnson, better known by his adopted stage name “Rick James” was among the most colorful, outrageous, and outspoken African American music artists of the late `70s through the `80s. He espoused a brash “Punk Funk” lifestyle of sex, drugs, and ‘Funk n Roll.” The Buffalo, New York native recorded for Motown Records and was responsible for galvanizing hits from “You and I,” “Mary Jane” (a love song to marijuana), “Bustin’ Out” (an anthem for being one’s 100% uncut self) – initially embraced by Black Radio – to crossover hits “Give it to Me Baby,” “17” and the New Wave-tinged “Super Freak.”
“Super Freak” is also the title of producer Je’Caryous Johnson’s stage musical which closed a 4-show June 6-8 run in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Pantages Theater. A star-studded and dapper audience turned out in spades to get a glimpse of a story conceived by the late Rick James’ daughter, Ty Johnson, on a special Thursday opening night that was also her birthday.
While entertaining, “Super Freak: The Rick James Story” starring Stokely, former lead singer of the Minneapolis band Mint Condition, suffers from a series of issues not at all uncommon when a work springs from a passionate creative who is close to a subject yet new to the art.
Weaving in elements of the supernatural, Christianity, street life, dual personality, superstardom, substance abuse, and the perils of ambition/ego, it’s a lot to take in.
On one hand, the play admirably attempts to take us from teenage Johnson’s struggles being raised by a loving but tough single mother (who happens to run numbers) and dodging his way through high school, the draft, musical pursuits, selling drugs and hitting an emotional low during which he considers suicide to the rollercoaster of his life and psyche as he navigates Hollywood and show business with all the itinerant addictive trappings.
What follows are 10 things that MUST happen before this production eminently opens on Broadway:
- The music needs to be punched up. I don’t understand how this could be difficult. So much of Rick’s music relied on synthesizers, lead and rhythm guitars, bass, and some seriously emphatic drum tracks with loud digital claps on the 2 & 4. Also, drum bruh: gospel drums did not exist in the `70s and `80s, so just pocket those grooves and keep it pushin’! Recreating this with thunder should be a snap for a small theatrical band. Punch it up a taste!
- The young lady playing “Lady Tee,” Teena Marie, simply is not the one. She can sing but her vocal range is nowhere near that of Teena. As it is, Teena was an anomaly among white female soul singers – truly the only one to be fully embraced as an equal and peer, especially considering that not only could she sing, but she composed, produced, co-arranged, and played on most of her material. So, finding someone to portray her surely will not be easy. Add that she walked, talked, and carried herself largely like a Black woman – because that’s who she was raised around from mother/auntie figures to her girlfriends – the authenticity of her character is just as important to nail with natural authenticity. Lastly, there needs to be steamy chemistry between Teena and Stokley’s Rick.
- The costuming for the Mary Jane Girls somehow was completely off the mark. Just like Prince’s Vanity 6, all the ladies had their own fashion and character type sense. Maybe some girls filling in for a character didn’t have a wardrobe that fit them for the part so they went with whatever, but come Broadway, that needs to be addressed once and for all.
- As Rick James in superstar Punk Funk mode, Stokley was mostly strong. Yet, he does have a problem staying in character when it comes to the singing parts. Sometimes he sounds like Rick. Sometimes he sounds like Stokley. He needs to strive for a more consistent Rick here. Also, can we get a bass in his hands earlier? The only time I recall him holding a bass is during The Temptations’ “Standing On The Top.”
- Shontelle Moore, the woman who played Rick’s mother, was very strong. The problem here is that the script has Rick running back home to her waaaay too many times. Consolidating those visits will not dilute Momma Johnson’s character strength if they make each one singularly pivotal each time he does. The back and forth makes the story drag…especially in the already long-feeling Act I.
- The pop-up cameos of notables and how they are portrayed adds a lot of comedy to the piece…especially the complexion of a key character. I will not spoil these…but the more shrewdly they can be utilized, the better.
- I understand that getting the full support of the legendary Motown corporation is not an easy assignment. However, the frustration that the script is only allowed to refer to the internationally famous company as “the record label” is a huge disservice to history. Please work this out as Rick was an artist with this company not once but twice…so it is very important.
- It’s cool that a couple of songs that are not Rick’s were cleared for inclusion in this production. However, it is my belief that shorter or no versions of those songs would be welcomed by fans if it means the inclusion of other key Rick James songs – from “69 Times” to “Moonchild.” This will better satisfy the “concert” and “party” experiences fans desire as part of the play. Kudos for the triumphant usage of the song “Glow.”
- The Africa/Islands cutaways for the transformation of James Johnson into Rick James need to be handled better. Though the psychedelic lighting, hellish special effects and percussive music are strong, a clear understanding of it all needs more development and explanation.
- Finally, more needs to be done to convey just how Rick became so savvy as a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist – beyond his singing on street corners. Because his wild image plays heavily into the way he is remembered, a better job needs to be done to articulate how and why he was so exceptionally talented. This would be a far superior way to spend precious time in Act I which, again, gets way too deep in the weeds of young Rick’s troubled years. Kobe Brown was excellent as young James, by the way.
A. Scott Galloway is a prolific West Coast-based Music Journalist who has been writing in-depth about music since 1988. He interviewed Rick James in 1993 just before the superstar was sentenced to three years in Folsom State Prison on charges of kidnapping and assault under the influence.
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