Who is Rick James? Find Net Worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

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A famous singer, instrumentalist and song writer, how rich was Rick James? Sources estimate that the total net worth of Rick James was $35 million dollars, mostly accumulated during his career as a singer, and also from the songs and albums he produced, spanning almost 40 years.

James had to struggle throughout his childhood; his father left when he was only ten, his mother would dance and later run errands for a local mafia, taking James along with her for collections in the pubs and bars, and that’s where he heard singers like Etta James perform and became interested in singing. He stated in his biography that he lost his virginity at the very young age of nine, and thus attained a kinky attitude from childhood, using drugs and being arrested for burglary.

Rick James Net Worth $35 Million

In order to escape the draft, he joined US Navy at a very young age of 14-15 by lying about his age. During this time he started performing as a drummer with a local band, but when he missed his monthly sessions at USS Enterprise he was ordered to Vietnam. He fled to Toronto, where he collaborated with up-and-coming musicians including Joni Mitchell and Neil Young using the alias “Rick James Mathews”, and during this time forming the band “The Mynah Birds”, producing soul, funk and rock music. This was the real start to his net worth.

He then moved to Detroit, where he met Stevie Wonder, his musical hero; who persuaded him to shorten his name to Rick James. Later Rick was arrested by the US Navy after his location and identity was revealed by the financial backer of his group following a disagreement. He spent one year in prison and after release went to California and continued his musical career. His musical work includes “Come Get it”, “Garden of Love”, “Fire it Up”, “Cold Blooded” and “Urban Rhapsody”. All his songs and albums are a reason for his huge net worth.

In his personal life, Rick James was first married to Syville Morgan and they had a son and a daughter. In 1966 he married Tanya Hijazi after the pair served a jail term for assault, and they had a son, but divorced in 2002. He had an ongoing friendship with actor/commedian Eddie Murphy, but Rick had drug abuse problems almost all of his life, being addicted to cocaine and heroin. He was found dead in his Los Angeles house in August, 2004, the reason for his death being pulmonary failure along with cardiac attack.