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Artist profile

Rick James

Rick James is a trap and future bass producer working across electronic music styles. His work spans instrumental production and beat-making within the broader landscape of contemporary hip-hop and electronic genres.

5 tracksFunk· 1982–1996
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Album artwork via Spotify® and Beatport

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Sound profile

EnergyDriveGrooveBrightnessWarmthVocal

Rick James is a restrained with strong groove and a balanced bright/warm production — mostly instrumental artist.

How this compares to R&B

Across 5 analysed tracks, Rick James averages 66% groove — groovier than 63% of individual R&B tracks — and 34% energy, gentler than 61%.

Measured against 714 R&B tracks on 11 August 2026.

Key & BPM profile

Most tracks sit between 92–140 BPM with a median of 131 · predominantly minor keys (80% minor) · most common key: 9A (E Minor) with 2 tracks.

BPM spread
90–94
1
120–124
1
130–134
2
140–144
1
Key distribution
1A1B2A2B3A3B4A4B5A5B6A6B7A7B8A18B9A29B10A110B11A11B12A12B1

Release volume by decade

1
1980s
3
1990s

Tracks in catalog

5 total · sortable
Super Freak album art
Super Freak
Rick James
133 BPM · 8A · R&B · 25% Warm-up
R&B
133
8A · A min
25%Warm-up
1996
Give It To Me Baby album art
Give It To Me Baby
Rick James
120 BPM · 12B · Trap / Future Bass · 27% Warm-up
Trap / Future Bass
120
12B · E maj
27%Warm-up
1996
Mary Jane album art
Mary Jane
Rick James
92 BPM · 10A · R&B · 25% Warm-up
R&B
92
10A · B min
25%Warm-up
1982
Super Freak - 12" Version album art
Super Freak - 12" Version
Rick James
131 BPM · 9A · R&B · 22% Warm-up
R&B
131
9A · E min
22%Warm-up
1996
Pioneers album art
Pioneers
Rick James, TMI
140 BPM · 9A · Mainstage · 72% Peak time
Mainstage
140
9A · E min
72%Peak time
—

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Related artists

Top 15 by similarity

DJs and producers closest to Rick James by audience overlap — the artists their listeners also play. It’s a taste signal, not a measured key-and-tempo match: good for shortlisting crates when you’re prepping a set around Rick James, then check the chemistry on the pair you actually mix. Eligible names link to their own page.

The Gap Band
100%
4 tracks in catalog · R&B
Cameo
86%
3 tracks in catalog · R&B
Lakeside
80%
Not in our catalog yet
Teena Marie
76%
3 tracks in catalog · R&B
The Whispers
74%
3 tracks in catalog · R&B
Brothers Johnson
73%
Not in our catalog yet
Dazz Band
70%
2 tracks in catalog · Nu Disco / Disco · no artist page yet
Ohio Players
69%
2 tracks in catalog · R&B · no artist page yet
The Time
68%
Not in our catalog yet
Heatwave
68%
2 tracks in catalog · Breaks / Breakbeat / UK Bass · no artist page yet
Evelyn "Champagne" King
67%
5 tracks in catalog · Nu Disco / Disco
Midnight Star
67%
Not in our catalog yet
Mary Jane Girls
65%
2 tracks in catalog · R&B · no artist page yet
Zapp
64%
1 track in catalog · Dance · no artist page yet
Kool & The Gang
63%
22 tracks in catalog · R&B

Similarity data from Last.fm. BPM, key and energy on this page are measured from the recordings in our catalog.

FAQ

What BPM does Rick James play at?+

Rick James's tracks in our catalog range from 92 to 140 BPM, with a median of 131 BPM. Across 5 tracks, the most common range falls in the 130–135 BPM bucket.

What key are Rick James's tracks in?+

Rick James's tracks are mostly in minor keys (80% minor across 5 tracks). The most common single key is 9A (E Minor) with 2 tracks.

Which artists share an audience with Rick James?+

Rick James sits closest to The Gap Band, Cameo, Lakeside in our catalog. That ranking is audience overlap — the artists their listeners also play — rather than a measured key-and-tempo match, so treat it as a shortlist worth digging through, not a promise that any two tracks will beatmatch. The full list, with track counts, is in the Related artists section above.

When was Rick James most active?+

Our catalog has Rick James releases spanning 1982 to 1996, with the most tracks from the 1990s.