Legacy of Rick James

The Mary Jane Girls are an American girl group formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. Formed by Rick James, the original lineup comprised JoJo McDuffie, Cheri Wells, Candice Ghant, and Kimberly Wuletich. Known for their on-stage sexual image, the group debuted on Motown's imprint Gordy Records with the release of their Top 10 dance songs "Candy Man" and "All Night Long" from their debut album Mary Jane Girls (1983).

The Pharcyde is an American hip-hop group, formed in South Central Los Angeles in 1991. The original four members of the group are Imani, Slimkid3, Bootie Brown, and Fatlip. DJ Mark Luv was the group's first disc jockey (DJ), followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla.

The Revolution is an American funk/pop rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979 by Prince, serving as his live band and later as his studio band. The band's sound incorporated rock, funk, R&B, new wave, synthpop and psychedelia elements. Along with Prince's other projects, the Revolution helped create the Minneapolis sound. By the time of their 1986 breakup, the Revolution had backed Prince on two studio albums, two soundtracks and two videos.

Fishbone is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1979, the band plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late 1980s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious diversity, goofy sense of humor, and sharp social commentary, the group gained a sizable cult following".

Sharam Tayebi, better known as Sharam, is an Iranian techno and house DJ and producer. Born in Tehran, Iran, he emigrated to Washington D.C. at the age of 14. A mainstay of the Washington underground dance music scene, he has been active both as one half of the duo Deep Dish and solo artist, producer and mixer.

Vanity 6 was an American female vocal trio that gained popularity in the early 1980s. They were protégées of musician Prince. Led by singer Vanity, they are known for their song "Nasty Girl". Vanity left in 1983 and the band was reformed as Apollonia 6.

Douglas Davis, known professionally as Doug E. Fresh, is a Barbadian-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer, also known as the "Human Beat Box". The pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing, Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum machines and various special effects using only his mouth, lips, gums, throat, tongue and a microphone.

Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers were a Canadian soul band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The group recorded for the Gordy Records division of Motown Records in 1968, where they had a top 30 hit single, "Does Your Mama Know About Me". As a producer and solo artist, Bobby Taylor contributed to several other soul recordings, both inside and outside of Motown. Taylor is most notable for discovering and mentoring the Jackson 5. Tommy Chong was a member of Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers before he became famous as a comedian.

"U Can't Touch This" is a song co-written, produced, and performed by American rapper MC Hammer. It was released in May 1990 by Capitol Records as the third single from his third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990), and has been considered his signature song. Rick James and Alonzo Miller also have songwriting credits, as the song samples the prominent opening riff of James's 1981 single "Super Freak". It has been used and referred to in many television shows, films, commercials, and other forms of media. The song has also received multiple awards and recognition. The accompanying music video was directed by Rupert Wainwright, featuring Hammer performing in his iconic Hammer pants.

Dirty Mind is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter and musician Prince. It was released on October 8, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records.

Pink Friday 2 is the fifth studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj, released on December 8, 2023, through Republic Records. A sequel to Minaj's debut album, Pink Friday (2010), it fuses sounds from various genres with hip-hop, R&B and pop. Its lyrical topics include grief, mental health, self-doubt, self-confidence, achievements, motherhood, and other contemporary reflections. The album includes collaborations with J. Cole, Drake, Lil Wayne, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, 50 Cent, Monica, and Keyshia Cole, while tracks by Billie Eilish, The Notorious B.I.G., Cyndi Lauper, Rick James, and others are sampled.