Rick James - Ultimate Collection

Motown's Ultimate Collection line has been a massive success in putting together definitive single-disc compilations of their greatest artists, and the Rick James installment is no exception. Because this one includes some lengthier workouts, it isn't quite as complete as most of the series, but it does provide an essential look at James in his influential prime, leaving very little of his sex-and-drugs ethos to the imagination. Spanning the years 1978-1983, these 13 tracks paint an effective picture of James' groundbreaking fusion of funk, rock, and new wave, which basically constituted hardcore funk's last hurrah as the disco age wound down and the urban contemporary genre began to take shape. Read More