George Edward Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American musician, singer, bandleader, and record producer. His

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...

collective (which primarily recorded under the distinct band names

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

and

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkade ...

) developed an influential and eclectic form of funk music during the 1970s that drew on science fiction, outlandish fashion,

psychedelia Psychedelia refers to the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic music and style of dress during that era. This was primarily generated by people who used psychedelic ...

, and

surreal humor Surreal humour (also called surreal comedy, absurdist humour, or absurdist comedy) is a form of humour predicated on deliberate violations of causal reasoning, thus producing events and behaviours that are obviously illogical. Portrayals of surrea ...

. He launched his solo career with the 1982 album '' Computer Games'' and would go on to influence 1990s hip hop and

G-funk G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the late 1980s. The genre is heavily influenced by 1970s psychedelic funk (P-funk) sound of artists such as Parliament-Funkadelic. Charac ...

. Clinton is regarded, along with James Brown and

Sly Stone Sylvester Stewart (born March 15, 1943), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer who is most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the ...

, as one of the foremost innovators of funk music. He was inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

in 1997, alongside 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. In 2019, he and Parliament-Funkadelic were given Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Career

Beginnings

George Edward Clinton was born in

Kannapolis, North Carolina Kannapolis () is a city in Cabarrus and Rowan counties, in the U.S. state of North Carolina, northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte and is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The city of Kannapolis was incorporated in 1984. Th ...

, grew up in

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a city in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."

, and currently resides in

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...

. During his teen years, Clinton formed a doo-wop group inspired by

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers The Teenagers are an American music group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead ...

called

The Parliaments The Parliaments were an American vocal quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, United States. Originally formed in the back room of a barbershop in 1956, the quintet was named after the cigarette brand. The Parliaments initially performed doo-wop ...

, while straightening hair at a barber saloon in

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a city in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."

. The West End of Plainfield was once home to a barbershop on 216 Plainfield Avenue known as ''"Silk Palace"''. Owned in part by Clinton, it was staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic, and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop,

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, and proto- funk music scene.

1960s and 1970s

For a period in the 1960s Clinton was a staff songwriter for Motown. Despite initial commercial failure and one major hit single, (" (I Wanna) Testify" in 1967), as well as arranging and producing scores of singles on many of the independent Detroit soul music labels, The Parliaments eventually found success under the names

and

in the 1970s (see also P-Funk). These two bands combined the elements of musicians such as

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

Sly and the Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi ...

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

, and James Brown while exploring various sounds, technology, and lyricism. Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic dominated Black music during the 1970s, with over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and three

platinum album Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

s. From 1971 to late 1973, Clinton and several other members of the band settled in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

. During their years in Toronto, they honed their live show and recorded the album ''

America Eats Its Young ''America Eats Its Young'' is the fourth album (a double album) by Funkadelic, released in May 1972. This was the first album to include the whole of the House Guests, including Bootsy Collins, Catfish Collins, Chicken Gunnels, Rob McCollough a ...

'', which was their first to feature Bootsy Collins.

1980s

In the 1980s, Clinton began to encounter legal difficulties arising from PolyGram's acquisition of Parliament's label,

Casablanca Records Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label current ...

. He recorded several solo albums, although all of these records featured contributions from P-Funk's core musicians. This period of Clinton's career was marred by multiple legal problems resulting in financial difficulties due to royalty and copyright issues, notably with

Bridgeport Music Bridgeport Music is a music publishing company founded in Michigan by Armen Boladian in 1969. It controls the copyrights to recordings by George Clinton and Funkadelic. Bridgeport Music has filed lawsuits for copyright infringement via sampling a ...

, who Clinton claims fraudulently obtained the copyrights to many of his recordings. In 1982, Clinton was signed to Capitol Records under two names: his own as a solo artist, and as the P-Funk All-Stars, releasing '' Computer Games'' under his own name that same year. The single "

Loopzilla "Loopzilla" is the debut solo single by George Clinton from his 1982 debut album ''Computer Games''. The song reached No. 19 on U.S. R&B chart. It uses lyrics from many older soul songs, including Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey ...

" hit the Top 20 on the R&B charts, followed by "

Atomic Dog "Atomic Dog" is a song by George Clinton from his 1982 album ''Computer Games''. The track was released as a single in December 1982 and became the P-Funk collective's last to reach #1 on the U.S. R&B Chart. The single failed to chart on the ...

", which reached #1 R&B and #101 on the pop chart. In the next four years, Clinton released three more studio albums ('' You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish'', '' Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends'', and ''

R&B Skeletons in the Closet ''R&B Skeletons in the Closet'' is the fourth solo album by Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton. It was released in April 1986 by Capitol Records and was the last album that Clinton would record for the label. Recording sessions for the ...

'') as well as a live album, ''

Mothership Connection ''Mothership Connection'' is the fourth album by American funk band Parliament, released on December 15, 1975 on Casablanca Records. This concept album is often rated among the best Parliament-Funkadelic releases, and was the first to feature horn ...

(Live from the Summit, Houston, Texas)'' and charting three singles in the R&B Top 30, "Nubian Nut", "Last Dance", and " Do Fries Go with That Shake?" He is also a notable music producer who works on almost all the albums he performs on, and has produced albums for Bootsy Collins and

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

, among others. In 1985, he was recruited by the Chili Peppers to produce their album ''

Freaky Styley ''Freaky Styley'' is the second studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released August 16, 1985 on EMI America. ''Freaky Styley'' marks founding guitarist Hillel Slovak's studio album debut, following his return to the band ear ...

'', because the band members were huge fans of his and of funk in general. Clinton wrote the vocals and lyrics to the title track, which was originally intended by the band to be left as an instrumental piece. The album was not a commercial success at the time. In 1987, Clinton was recruited to write the theme song for ''

The Tracey Ullman Show ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' is an American television variety show starring Tracey Ullman. It debuted on Fox on April 5, 1987, the network's second original primetime series to air following '' Married... with Children'', and ran until May 26, ...

'', "You're Thinking Right".

Influence

During the mid to late 1980s, many hip-hop and rap artists cited Clinton's earlier music as an influence. Along with James Brown, Clinton's songs with Parliament-Funkadelic were often

sampled Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of so ...

by rap producers. "Sure, sample my stuff…" he remarked in 1996; "Ain't a better time to get paid than when you're my age. You know what to do with money. You don't buy as much pussy or drugs with it – you just buy ''some''." In 1989, Clinton released '' The Cinderella Theory'' on

Paisley Park Paisley Park Records was an American record label founded by musician Prince in 1985, which was distributed by and funded in part by Warner Bros. Records. It was started in 1985, following the success of the film and album '' Purple Rain''. ...

, Prince's record label. This was followed by ''

Hey Man, Smell My Finger ''Hey, Man, Smell My Finger'' is the sixth studio album by American funk musician George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton, released October 12, 1993, on Paisley Park Records. It is Clinton's second and last release for the Paisley Park lab ...

'' in 1993. Clinton then signed with

Sony 550 550 Music (originally known as Sony 550 Music) was a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, which operated through Sony Music's Epic Records division while in activity. Launched in 1992, the "550" name was inspired by the address of the Sony building, ...

and released '' T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.'' (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership) in 1996.

1990s to 2000s

The year 1994 saw Clinton contribute to several tracks on Primal Scream's studio album ''

Give Out But Don't Give Up ''Give Out But Don't Give Up'' is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream. It was released on 28 March 1994 in the United Kingdom by Creation Records and in the United States by Sire Records. It peaked at number 2 on the UK A ...

''. In 1995, Clinton sang "Mind Games" on the

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

tribute ''

Working Class Hero "Working Class Hero" is a song by John Lennon from his 1970 album ''John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band'', his first album after the break-up of the Beatles. Theme Stridently political, the song is a commentary on the difference between social clas ...

''. Clinton appeared in films such as '' Graffiti Bridge'' (1990), ''

House Party A house party is a type of party where people gather at the residence of the party's host. Organization A house party might be organized several months or just a few hours in advance. News of a party may be spread by personal invitations, ...

'' (1990), '' PCU'' (1994), ''

Good Burger ''Good Burger'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Dan Schneider with Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert. Starring Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, it is based on the comedy sketch of the same name on the Nick ...

'' (1997), and '' The Breaks'' (1999). In 1994, he appeared as the host of the anthology television film ''

Cosmic Slop ''Cosmic Slop'' is the fifth studio album by Funkadelic, released in May 1973 on Westbound Records. While it has been favorably reevaluated by critics long after its original release, the album was a commercial failure, producing no charting si ...

''. In 1997, he appeared as himself in the Cartoon Network show ''

Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast to the original ...

''. Clinton also appeared as the voice of The Funktipus, the DJ of the funk radio station Bounce FM in the 2004 video game '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', in which his song "Loopzilla" also appeared. Rapper

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...

often sampled Clinton's music, helping to bring about the

era. In 1999, Clinton collaborated with

Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...

and

Fred Durst William Frederick Durst (born August 20, 1970) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and director. He is the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal band Limp Bizkit, formed in 1994, with whom he has released seven studio albums. He ap ...

for rap metal group

Methods of Mayhem Methods of Mayhem is an American rap rock band formed in 1999 by Tommy Lee, who had temporarily quit his position as Mötley Crüe's drummer. History Lee formed Methods of Mayhem on the eve of his divorce from Pamela Anderson. The band's self- ...

's single "

Get Naked "Get Naked" is a song by American musician Tommy Lee's first solo project Methods of Mayhem, from their album ''Methods of Mayhem''. It features vocals by Fred Durst, Lil' Kim and George Clinton, with turntablism contributed by Beastie Boys as ...

". Displaying his influence on rap and hip hop, Clinton also worked with

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

on the song "Can't C Me" from the album ''

All Eyez on Me ''All Eyez on Me'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Sno ...

''; Ice Cube on the song and video for " Bop Gun (One Nation)" on the '' Lethal Injection'' album (which sampled Funkadelic's earlier hit "

One Nation Under A Groove ''One Nation Under a Groove'' is the tenth studio album by American funk rock band Funkadelic, released on September 22, 1978 on Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions took place at United Sound Studio in Detroit, Michigan, with one song reco ...

"); Outkast on the song "Synthesizer" from the album ''

Aquemini ''Aquemini'' is the third studio album by American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on September 29, 1998, by LaFace Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius (Big Boi) and Gemini (André 3000), which ...

''; Redman on the song "J.U.M.P." from the album ''

Malpractice In the law of torts, malpractice, also known as professional negligence, is an "instance of negligence or incompetence on the part of a professional".Malpractice definition, Professionals who may become the subject of malpractice actions inc ...

'';

Souls of Mischief Souls of Mischief is a hip hop group from Oakland, California, that is also part of the hip hop collective Hieroglyphics. The Souls of Mischief formed in 1991 and is composed of rappers A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai. History East Oakland ...

on "Mama Knows Best" from the album '' Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution''; Killah Priest on "Come With me" from the album '' Priesthood''; the

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...

on "Wolves" from the album ''

8 Diagrams ''8 Diagrams'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released December 11, 2007, on SRC/Universal Motown Records. The album was released three years after the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard, and six years after the group ...

''. Clinton founded a record label called The C Kunspyruhzy in 2003. He had a cameo appearance in " Where Were We?", the season two premiere of the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

television sitcom '' How I Met Your Mother'', on September 18, 2006. He appeared on the intro to Snoop Dogg's ''

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment ''Tha Blue Carpet Treatment'' is the eighth studio album by West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 21, 2006, by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. It is also the final album to have Nate Dogg featured on ...

'' album, released in 2007. Clinton was also a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards. On September 16, 2008, Clinton released a solo album, ''

George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love ''George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love'' is a cover album by funk music pioneer George Clinton. The album includes guest appearances from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sly Stone, El DeBarge, System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian, Carlos Sa ...

'' on Shanachie Records. Largely a covers album, ''Gangsters'' features guest appearances from

El DeBarge Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge (born June 4, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was the focal point and primary lead singer of the family group DeBarge. Popular songs led by El DeBarge include " Time Will Reveal", " Who's Hold ...

, RZA, Carlos Santana, gospel singer

Kim Burrell Kimberly Jean Burrell (born August 27, 1972) is an American, Grammy–nominated, gospel singer-songwriter, producer, and pastor from Houston, Texas, United States. Biography Early life Born Kimberly Jean Burrell on August 27, 1972 in Houston, Te ...

and more. On September 10, 2009, Clinton was awarded the Urban Icon Award from

Broadcast Music Incorporated Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 mill ...

. The ceremony featured P-Funk associate Bootsy Collins, as well contemporary performers such as

Big Boi Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside André 300 ...

from Outkast and

Cee-Lo Green Thomas DeCarlo Callaway - Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. He is known for his work in hip hop and R&B, including the Gnarls ...

from

Goodie Mob Goodie Mob is an American hip hop group based in Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of CeeLo Green, Khujo, T-Mo, and Big Gipp. History The group was formed in 1991 by Cameron " Big Gipp" Gipp, Willie "Khujo" Knighton Jr., CeeLo Green (born Tho ...

. Also in 2009, Clinton was inducted into the

North Carolina Music Hall of Fame The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization and museum in Kannapolis, North Carolina that was created to honor musicians, composers and artists with ties to North Carolina that have made significant impact in the music indus ...

2010s to 2020s

On March 7, 2010, Clinton voiced a colorful blob alien version of himself in T-Pain's

Adult Swim Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...

television movie '' Freaknik: The Musical''. In May 2012, Clinton was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

. During the commencement concert, Clinton joined the college's P-Funk Ensemble to perform hits like "Testify," "Give Up the Funk," and "One Nation Under a Groove". He was accompanied by longtime horn players Bennie Cowan and Greg Thomas. Clinton was a guest star in

Odd Future Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF, was an American hip-hop music collective formed in Los Angeles County, California in 2007. The original members were Tyler, the Creator, Casey Veggies, ...

's television show '' Loiter Squad'' on

in 2013. On June 27, 2015, Clinton joined

Mark Ronson Mark Daniel Ronson (born 4 September 1975) is a British-American DJ, songwriter, record producer, and record executive. He is best known for his collaborations with artists such as Duran Duran, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lily Allen, R ...

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

and Grandmaster Flash on stage at the Glastonbury Festival to perform Ronson's hit "

Uptown Funk "Uptown Funk" is a song by British record producer Mark Ronson from his fourth studio album, ''Uptown Special'' (2015), featuring American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released as the album's lead single on 10 November 2014 via dow ...

". Clinton also appears with

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...

on the song "Wesley's Theory" from the album ''

To Pimp a Butterfly ''To Pimp a Butterfly'' is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the U ...

.'' In March 2017, Clinton appeared on the

television series ''

FishCenter Live ''FishCenter Live'' (also shortened to ''FishCenter'' or ''FC Live'' or just ''FCL'') was an American talk show hosted by Dave Bonawits, Andrew Choe, Matt Harrigan, Christina Loranger, and Max Simonet. It premiered on the official website of Ad ...

''. ''

The Outline ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

''s Samuel Argyle described it as " e episode that makes the most cohesive narrative sense." Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic are slated to headline the seventh annual

Treefort Music Fest The Treefort Music Fest is a five-day, indie rock festival which is held at numerous venues throughout downtown Boise, Idaho in late March. The inaugural 2012 festival took place March 20–23 with the featured acts Built to Spill, The Joy ...

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ar ...

in 2018. The release of a new

album, '' Medicaid Fraud Dogg'', was announced in March 2018. It was released May 22. In April 2018, Clinton announced that he would retire from touring in May 2019. '' Billboard'' reported that Clinton had recently undergone pacemaker surgery, but he said that was not a factor in his decision. He indicated that he expected Parliament-Funkadelic would continue to tour without him, saying "Truth be told, it's never really been about me. It's always been about the music and the band. That's the real P-Funk legacy. They'll still be funkin' long after I stop." Earlier in 2018, he told ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' that he had made a

hologram Holography is a technique that enables a wavefront to be recorded and later re-constructed. Holography is best known as a method of generating real three-dimensional images, but it also has a wide range of other applications. In principle, i ...

, suggesting that the band could "have it start performing in Vegas". In December 2018,

the Recording Academy The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...

announced that Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic would be given

Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

s. The awards will be presented on May 11, 2019. Clinton collaborated with

Flying Lotus Steven Ellison (born October 7, 1983), known by his stage name Flying Lotus or sometimes FlyLo, is an American record producer, DJ, filmmaker and rapper from Los Angeles. He is also the founder of the record label Brainfeeder. Flying Lotus ha ...

on his new album ''Flamagra'' released on May 24, 2019. The track "Burning Down the House" was co-written by Clinton. Clinton voices King Quincy in the ''

Trolls World Tour ''Trolls World Tour'' (often named as ''Trolls 2: World Tour'') is a 2020 American computer-animated musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls created by ...

'' movie that premiered on April 10, 2020. In 2022, Clinton competed in season eight of ''

The Masked Singer ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' as "Gopher". After being eliminated on "Hall of Fame Night" alongside

George Foreman George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champio ...

as "Venus Fly Trap", Clinton did a performance of "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)" while backed up by

Sheila E. Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957) better known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American percussionist and singer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band. After leaving t ...

Nick Cannon Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American television host, actor, rapper, and comedian. In television, Cannon began as a teenager on ''All That'' before going on to host '' The Nick Cannon Show'', ''Wild 'n Out'', ''America's ...

, and

Robin Thicke Robin Alan Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his 2013 hit single " Blurred Lines", which is one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, h ...

Personal life

Clinton married Stephanie Lynn Clinton in 1990. In February 2013, after 22 years of marriage, he filed for divorce. Clinton is currently married to Carlon Thompson-Clinton, his manager of over 10 years. On February 1, 2010, Clinton's 50-year-old son, George Clinton, Jr., was found dead in his Florida home. According to police, he died of natural causes and had been dead for several days. Clinton was inducted as an honorary member of Omega Psi Phi on July 30, 2020.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Family Series albums

EPs

Solo singles

Contributions

* 1981: "Work That Sucker to Death" (Xavier featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins; ''Point of Pleasure'') * 1983: "I Almost Believed You" (from the

Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...

album ''

Michael Bolton Michael Bolotin
, The Jewish Historical Society of New Haven, 1998. (born February 26, 1953), known professio ...

'') * 1985: "American Ghost Dance" (sang backing vocals with the

on their album ''

''; he also produced this album) * 1985: "May the Cube Be With You" (collaborated with

Thomas Dolby Thomas Morgan Robertson (born 14 October 1958), known by the stage name Thomas Dolby, is an English musician, producer, composer, entrepreneur and teacher. Dolby came to prominence in the 1980s, releasing hit singles including "She Blinded Me ...

and appeared in the music video for the song) * 1985: " Sun City" (from the

Artists United Against Apartheid Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Steven Van Zandt and record producer Arthur Baker to protest against apartheid in South Africa. The group produced the song " Sun City" and the album ' ...

album '' Sun City'') * 1986: "Break My Heart" (Jimmy G. & The Tackheads; one of his many one-off groups with George Clinton supplying vocals & possibly Bootsy Collins on bass) * 1986: "Magilla Gorilla" (from the

Kurtis Blow Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper ...

album ''Kingdom Blow'') * 1988: " Lifestyles of the Roach and Famous by the INCorporated Thang Band (Produced by George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. Songs co-wrote by George Clinton) * 1990: "We Can Funk" (from the

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

album '' Graffiti Bridge'') * 1990: ''

'' (George Clinton, as himself) * 1991: "Rock the Planet", "Dysfunction", "Air Head", and "Freedom of Speech" (from the Muruga UFM album ''Rock the Planet'') * 1991: "Sons of the P" (from the

Digital Underground Digital Underground was an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Their personnel changed and rotated with each album and tour. Digital Underground's leader and mainstay was Gregory " Shock G" Jacobs (also known as Humpty H ...

album '' Sons of the P'') * 1991: "Words & Music from da Lowlands" (from the Gotcha! album ''Words and Music from da Lowlands'') * 1993: "G-Funk Intro" (from the Snoop Doggy Dogg album ''

Doggystyle ''Doggystyle'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg (then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg). It was released on November 23, 1993, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop's app ...

'') * 1993: "Tight" (from the

MC Breed Eric Tyrone Breed (June 12, 1971 – November 22, 2008), better known as MC Breed, was an American rapper best known for his singles "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'", which peaked at #66 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and "Gotta Get Mine" (featu ...

album '' The New Breed'') * 1994: '' PCU'' (George Clinton, as himself) * 1993: " Bop Gun (One Nation)" (from the Ice Cube album '' Lethal Injection'') * 1994: "P-Funk" (''

NBA Jam ''NBA Jam'' (sometimes "Jam" for short) is a long-running List of basketball video games, basketball video game series based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). Initially developed as arcade games by Midway Games, Midway, the game foun ...

''; hidden character) * 1994: "Funky Jam", "Give Out But Don't Give Up" and "Free" (from the Primal Scream album ''

'') * 1995: "Blac Mermaid" (from the

Society of Soul Society of Soul was a five-member R&B group that consisted of the members of Organized Noize (Sleepy Brown, Rico Wade and Ray Murray) as well as Espraronza and Big Rube Ruben Bailey (born September 27, 1969, Atlanta, Georgia), professionally ...

album '' Brainchild'') * 1996: "Can't C Me" (from the

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

album ''

'') * 1997: ''

'' (Mental Patient/Dancer) * 1998: "Synthesizer" (from the Outkast album ''

'') * 1999: "Get Naked" (from the

album ''

'') * 2000: "Alien Love" (from the Alien Lovestock album ''Planet of the Fish'') * 2001: "Come With Me", "The One" (from the Killah Priest album '' Priesthood'') * 2001: "Speed Dreaming" (from the

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...

album ''

The Return Of The Regulator ''The Return of the Regulator'' is the fourth studio album by Warren G. The album can be considered a return to G-funk, the roots of West Coast hip hop, west coast gangsta rap, gangsta music, but it sold less than the rapper's two previous album ...

'') * 2001: "J.U.M.P." (from the Redman album ''

'') * 2002: "The Movie" (from the

Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...

album '' What's My Favorite Word?'') * 2003: "Hey Bulldog" (from the

Eric McFadden Eric McFadden (born December 1, 1965) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter from San Francisco. He spent his formative years in Albuquerque, New Mexico, receiving lessons from Stanton Hirsch. During his mid-teens, he moved to Syrac ...

album ''Diamonds To Coal'') * 2005: "Lotus Flower" (from the

Blackalicious Blackalicious was an American hip-hop duo from Sacramento, California, made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel. They are noted for Gift of Gab's often tongue-twisting, multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's soulful p ...

album '' The Craft'') * 2006: "Uncle Speaks (Album Naration)" (from the Joi album ''

Tennessee Slim Is the Bomb ''Tennessee Slim Is the Bomb'' is the fourth album by American R&B/rock singer, Joi (singer), Joi, and was released independently through Joi's own Joilicious Music Label. The lead single, "I'm So Famous", became an underground hit and later made ...

'') * 2006: "Intrology" (from the Snoop Dogg album ''

'') * 2006: "The Doctor and the Kidd" (from the People Under the Stairs album ''

Stepfather A stepfather or stepdad is a non-biological male parent married to one's preexisting parent. A stepfather-in-law is a stepfather of one's spouse. Children from his spouse's previous unions are known as his stepchildren. Culture Though less comm ...

'') * 2007: "Wolves" and "Tar Pit" (from the

album ''

'') * 2007: "When the World Is at Peace" (Masters of Funk & Blues feat. George Clinton & Bobby Taylor; ''A Soulful Tale of Two Cities'') * 2007: "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (Masters of Funk, Soul & Blues featuring George Clinton; ''A Soulful Tale of Two Cities'') * 2007: "Night Out" (from the

Lifesavas Lifesavas is a hip hop group from Portland, Oregon. Their style exhibits tag-team rhymes, matter-of-fact storytelling and a soulful production. The emcee's styles and song writing skills are showcased in the arrangements of a funky collection o ...

album ''Gutterfly'') * 2008: "Up Again" (from the Bobby Digital album ''

Digi Snacks ''Digi Snacks'' is the fourth solo studio album by American rapper and producer RZA; the third album under his Bobby Digital alias. Continuing the story from '' Digital Bullet'', the album was released on June 24, 2008 on Koch Records.Thompson, ...

'') * 2008: "Hitler's Brain" (from the

Die Warzau Die Warzau (originally Die Warzau Synfony) was an American industrial music band formed in 1987 by Jim Marcus and Van Christie. History In the late 80s, Jim Marcus and Van Christie were working individually as performance artists. Christie ha ...

album '' Vinyl88: Not the Best of Die Warzau'') * 2009: "There's a Party" (from the N.A.S.A album ''

The Spirit of Apollo ''The Spirit of Apollo'' is the debut album by N.A.S.A., a hip hop duo consisting of Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon. It was released on ANTI- in 2009. The track, "N.A.S.A. Anthem", was featured on the official NASA Glenn Research Center website ...

'') * 2010: "Fo Yo Sorrows" (from the

album '' Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'') * 2010: "Red Wine" & "Red Wine (Skit)" (from the

Stevie Stone Stephen Lewis Williams (born July 28, 1981), better known by his stage name Stevie Stone, is an American rapper from Columbia, Missouri. He was signed to Tech N9ne's Strange Music record label from 2011 to 2021 and has since founded his own reco ...

album ''New Kid Comin'') * 2011: "D-Funk (Funk With Us)" (from

The Headhunters The Headhunters are an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History (and name) Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with a s ...

album ''

Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

'') * 2012:

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

halftime show at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan; Halftime Concert featuring Kid Rock) * 2013: "Tonight We Ride" (from the Killah Priest album ''

The Psychic World of Walter Reed ''The Psychic World of Walter Reed'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper Killah Priest. It was released on February 25, 2013. The album features guest appearances from Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, George Clinton, Lord Fury, Raekwo ...

'') * 2013: "Do the Damn Thang" (from the Ralph Myerz album ''Supersonic Pulse'') * 2014: "UFO Le Funk" & "Brooklyn UFO" from the Funky Taurus & George Clinton album ''UFO Le Funk'') * 2015: "Wesley's Theory" (from the

album ''

'') * 2015: "The Lavishments of Light Looking" (from the

Adult Swim Singles Program Williams Street Records LLC is an American independent record company founded by Jason DeMarco, based in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a joint venture of Cartoon Network's Williams Street Productions and Warner Music Group ( Warner Bros. Discovery's ...

2015 by WOKE) * 2016: "Do the Damn Thang" (Da YoungFellaz single featuring Snoop Dogg &

Nipsey Hussle Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid- ...

) * 2016: "Cool Joe" (new version by George Clinton & Funky Taurus) * 2016: "Riot" (from the Childish Gambino album '' "Awaken, My Love!"'') * 2018: "Hawking Tribute" (George Clinton & Funky Taurus; pays tribute to the passing of Stephen Hawking) * 2019: "Lazy Daisy" (George Clinton & Funky Taurus; from the Lazy Daisy album ''Lazy Daisy George Clinton & Funky Taurus'') * 2019: "Burning Down the House" (from the

album ''

Flamagra ''Flamagra'' is the sixth studio album by American record producer Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison), released on May 24, 2019 by Warp Records. It is his first album since 2014's ''You're Dead!''. The lead single, the spoken-word "Fire Is Coming" feat ...

'') * 2019: "Feed the Wolf" (Miss Velvet and the Blue Wolf feat. George Clinton; guesting on 4 tracks) * 2021: "Groove for the Ques" (Willie Bradley & George Clinton) * 2021: "Funk Aspirin" ( Cimafunk & George Clinton) * 2022: "Benny's Got a Gun" (BLK ODYSSY & Benny the Butcher & George Clinton)

Books

References

'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, George 1941 births 20th-century African-American male singers 21st-century African-American male singers 550 Music artists African-American rock musicians American bandleaders American funk singers American rock singers Capitol Records artists Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Living people Musicians from Plainfield, New Jersey Musicians from Tallahassee, Florida P-Funk members Paisley Park Records artists Participants in American reality television series People from Kannapolis, North Carolina Record producers from Michigan Record producers from New Jersey Record producers from North Carolina Singers from Detroit Singers from New Jersey Singers from North Carolina The Hill School alumni African-American male songwriters

Career

Beginnings

1960s and 1970s

1980s

Influence

1990s to 2000s

2010s to 2020s

Personal life

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Family Series albums

EPs

Solo singles

Contributions

Books

See also

References

Further reading

External links