• Internet Tendency
  • The Store
  • Books Division
  • Quarterly Concern
  • Donate
McSweeney’s
Internet Tendency
Daily humor almost every day since 1998.
Daily humor almost every day since 1998.
McSWEENEY'S INTERNET TENDENCY'S PATREON

Help support our writers and keep our site ad-free.
Become a McSweeney’s Internet Tendency patron today.

February 1, 2018

Rick James’s Long Lost Annotations to His 1981 Hit Song “Superfreak” Reveal What He Really Wanted to Record Was an Anthem of Female Empowerment

by Gary M. Almeter

 


  • Rick James
  • Pop Music
  • Feminism
  • 1980s
As little as $1 a month ($12 a year!) goes a long way towards supporting our editorial staff and contributors while keeping us ad-free. Become a McSweeney’s Internet Tendency patron today.
Become a patron
Share
Tweet
 
➤

Emergency Alerts I’d Like to Receive
➤

Realistic Escape Rooms
Suggested Reads
  • January 16, 2001
    Remember When? A Collection Of 1980s References Without Context Or Meaning
    by Mike Sacks
  • April 16, 2002
    Song Titles by Judas Priest, Modified to Reflect an Alternate Reality in Which the Band is Obsessed with Members of President Jimmy Carter’s Cabinet and the 1985 American League Eastern Division Champion Toronto Blue Jays
    by Steve Huey
  • October 7, 2005
    If Yosemite Sam’s Curses Were Considered Real Profanity and Were Dubbed Over for Television in the Same Clumsy, Unconvincing Manner as 1980s R-Rated Movies
    by Martin Bell
  • December 7, 2007
    Twisted Sister: Where Are They Now?
    by Mike Drucker and Jon Clarke
Trending 🔥
  1. October 9, 2009
    It’s Decorative Gourd Season, Motherfuckers
    by Colin Nissan
  2. October 9, 2020
    The 52 Stages of Insomnia
    by Marco Kaye
  3. May 18, 2020
    I Was In Charge of the Deck Chairs On the Titanic, and They Absolutely Did Need Rearranging
    by Emily Flake
  4. January 18, 2019
    FAQ: The Status of the Shits Women Have Left to Give
    by Shannon Reed
Recently
  • October 20, 2020
    The Woman From Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” Would Like to Clear a Few Things Up
    by Emily Menez
  • October 20, 2020
    For the Voter Who Is Pro-Life
    by Bethany Cosentino
  • October 20, 2020
    Ten Legitimate Reasons to Pull Out Your Dick On a Zoom Call
    by Taylor Kay Phillips, Casey Rand, Sasha Stewart, and Kate Villa
  • October 19, 2020
    Lest We Forget the Horrors: A Catalog of Trump’s Worst Cruelties, Collusions, Corruptions, and Crimes: The Complete Listing (So Far): Atrocities 1- 940
    by Ben Parker, Stephanie Steinbrecher, Kelsey Ronan, John McMurtrie, Sophia DuRose, Rachel Villa, and Amy Sumerton
Vital books for chaotic times.
McSweeney's returns with our 61 issue, a luxurious, leather-bound volume, featuring work by Maria Bamford, Salvador Plascencia, Gabrielle Bell, and more.
To get ready for the election, subscribe to our multi-award-winning quarterly by Tuesday and we'll send you both parts of our Small Blows Against Rising Totalitarianism series for absolutely free!
“This is not a book to simply read in total and digest—yes, do that—but it is also a work to return to in parts whenever necessary. It's a book to ingest like medicine.”
—Rion Scott
McSweeney’s is an independent nonprofit publishing company based in San Francisco.
As well as operating a daily humor website, we also publish Timothy McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Illustoria and an ever-growing selection of books under various imprints. You can buy all of these things from our online store. You can support us today by making a donation.
  • Internet Tendency
  • The Store
  • Books Division
  • Quarterly Concern
  • Donate
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Email Newsletter
  • Advertise
  • Store Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Internships
  • Submission Guidelines
Copyright © 1998–2020, McSweeney’s Publishing LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
  • Internet Tendency
  • The Store
  • Books Division
  • Quarterly Concern
  • Donate
 

There are just over two weeks left in the election and we want to help you get ready. Subscribe to our multi-award winning quarterly by this Tuesday and we’ll send you both parts of our Small Blows Against Encroaching Totalitarianism series for free!
*Dates based on Pacific Time, offer void if other discounts applied*

×