Bustin' Out Of L Seven
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Album Summary
Released in 1979 on Berry Gordy's legendary Gordy imprint, 'Bustin' Out Of L Seven' arrived as Rick James was hitting his stride as one of Motown's most electrifying new forces. Produced by Rick James himself, the album crackled with that signature blend of raw funk grit and smooth soul sensibility that he was busy carving out as his own personal territory. Coming on the heels of his debut, this record found James doubling down on his vision — seven tracks deep in swaggering grooves, lush love interludes, and that unmistakable street-level energy that made him a wholly different animal from anything else on the Gordy roster at the time. It was Motown reaching into the late-70s funk and disco underground and pulling out something genuinely dangerous.
Reception
- The album performed respectably on the R&B charts, building on the momentum Rick James had generated with his debut and cementing his growing fanbase in the funk and soul community.
- Critics of the era recognized the album as a confident sophomore statement, noting James's tight production hand and his ability to move between hard funk workouts and slower, spacier grooves within a single record.
- The title track 'Bustin' Out' drew particular attention as a showcase for James's energy and showmanship, helping keep his profile high on R&B radio.
Significance
- The album stands as an early document of Rick James establishing his 'punk-funk' identity on a major Black-owned label, a bold fusion of hard funk, disco sheen, and rock attitude that was genuinely ahead of the curve in 1979.
- Releasing on Gordy at a moment when disco was at its commercial peak, James used the album to push back toward rawer, street-funk territory — a tension between the two styles that gives the record its distinctive, restless energy.
- Tracks like 'Cop 'N' Blow' and 'Jefferson Ball' reveal a willingness to take lyrical and sonic risks that set James apart from more polished Motown contemporaries, pointing toward the superstar provocateur he would fully become in the early 1980s.
Samples
- "Bustin' Out" — one of the most sampled tracks in Rick James's pre-'Super Freak' catalog, its driving funk groove has been lifted by numerous hip-hop producers across the decades.
- "Cop 'N' Blow" — sampled by various hip-hop and R&B artists drawn to its hard-edged rhythmic foundation and gritty atmosphere.
Tracklist
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A1 Bustin' Out 103
5:24
-
A2 High On Your Love Suite / One Mo Hit (Of Your Love) 129
7:24
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A3 Love Interlude 108
1:57
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A4 Spacey Love 107
5:50
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B1 Cop 'N' Blow 117
5:04
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B2 Jefferson Ball 105
7:21
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B3 Fool On The Street 123
7:20
Artist Details
Rick James was an electrifying American funk and soul force who made his home on the legendary Gordy label, bringing a raw, street-level energy to the dancefloor that blurred the lines between funk's rhythmic grit and disco's irresistible groove. Born in Buffalo, New York, he carved out a reputation as both a magnetic performer and a sharp songwriter, channeling a wild, unfiltered charisma that set him apart from his contemporaries in the late 1970s scene. His work stood as a testament to the power of Black American music in full creative bloom, a soulful riot of bass lines and attitude that demanded your body move whether you were ready or not.
