rick james - MICHAEL BENABIB, CLASSIC HIP HOP PHOTOGRAPHY
Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) was an American musician and composer.
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, James began his musical career in his teen years in various bands and groups before entering the U.S. Navy to avoid being draftedin the early 1960s. In 1965, James deserted to Toronto, Canada, where he formed the rock band the Mynah Birds, who eventually signed a recording deal with Motown Recordsin 1966. James' career with the group halted after military authorities discovered his whereabouts and eventually convicted James on a one-year prison term related to the draft charges. After being released, James moved to California where he started a variety of rock and funk groups in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Read more on Wikipedia.