Street Songs (Deluxe Edition)

iTunes Review

Rick James’ most popular album is also his most uncompromising. Street Songs features explicit portraits of inner-city life, told from an insider’s perspective. With his tales of pimps, players, stoners and corner boys, James was hip-hop at a time when hip-hop barely existed, and his innovations would go on to influence an entire generation of rappers. Beyond the original killer album, and some additional 12” cuts, the real attraction of this deluxe edition is the second disc, which merges recordings from two James concerts at the Long Beach Arena, on July 30 and 31, 1981. While James is regarded as a master of the recording studio, the live set is a reminder of his unparalleled fire as a live performer. In the stadium setting, James turns club tracks like “Big Time” and “Give It To Me Baby” into sweaty, unhinged singalongs. His energy is jaw-dropping—“Love Gun” becomes so explosive that it nearly turns into heavy metal. The concert’s centerpiece is two duets with Teen Marie, “I’m A Sucker For You Love” and “Square Biz,” which together bring the show to a untamed boiling point.