▁Camp us , ▁in ▁J ol iet , ▁Illinois . ▁A ▁star ▁tennis ▁player ▁in ▁J ol iet , ▁he ▁accepted ▁a ▁tennis ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁attend ▁T usk eg ee ▁Institute , ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁econom ics . ▁▁ ▁Rich ie ▁considered ▁studying ▁div inity ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁priest ▁in ▁the ▁Epis cop al ▁Church , ▁but ▁he ▁ultimately ▁decided ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁" p ri est ▁material " ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁continue ▁his ▁musical ▁career . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁K appa ▁K appa ▁P si , ▁a ▁national ▁honor ▁frat ern ity ▁for ▁band ▁members , ▁and ▁an ▁active ▁life ▁member ▁of ▁Al pha ▁Ph i ▁Al pha ▁frat ern ity . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Com mod ores ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁student ▁in ▁T usk eg ee , ▁Rich ie ▁formed ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁R & B ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 6 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁singer ▁and ▁sa x oph on ist ▁with ▁the ▁Com mod ores . ▁They ▁signed ▁a ▁recording ▁contract ▁with ▁Atlantic ▁Records ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁for ▁one ▁record ▁before ▁moving ▁on ▁to ▁Mot own ▁Records ▁initially ▁as ▁a ▁support ▁act ▁to ▁The ▁Jackson ▁ 5 . ▁The ▁Com mod ores ▁then ▁became ▁established ▁as ▁a ▁popular ▁soul ▁group . ▁Their ▁first ▁several ▁albums ▁had ▁a ▁dance able , ▁fun ky ▁sound , ▁as ▁in ▁such ▁tracks ▁as ▁" Machine ▁Gun "