George Edward Clinton (born July 22, 1941) is an American musician, singer, bandleader, and record producer. His Parliament-Funkadelic 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 Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...

music during the 1970s that drew on science fiction, outlandish fashion, psychedelia, and surreal humor. He launched his solo career with the 1982 album ''

Computer Games A personal computer game, also known as a PC game or computer game, is a type of video game played on a personal computer (PC) rather than a video game console or arcade machine. Its defining characteristics include: more diverse and user-dete ...

'' 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 James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

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 and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

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

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is a special Grammy Award that is awarded by The Recording Academy The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of ...

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, 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. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the populatio ...

. During his teen years, Clinton formed a

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

group inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers called The Parliaments, while straightening hair at a barber saloon in Plainfield, New Jersey. 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 att ...

, rock, and proto-

music scene.

1960s and 1970s

For a period in the 1960s Clinton was a staff songwriter for

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

. 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 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 f ...

). 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 nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...

, and

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 anch ...

. 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 and ...

'', which was their first to feature

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...

1980s

In the 1980s, Clinton began to encounter legal difficulties arising from

PolyGram PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...

'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, who Clinton claims fraudulently obtained the copyrights to many of his recordings. In 1982, Clinton was signed to

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...

under two names: his own as a solo artist, and as the P-Funk All-Stars, releasing ''

'' under his own name that same year. The single " Loopzilla" hit the Top 20 on the R&B charts, followed by " Atomic Dog", 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 ''Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends'' is the third studio album by George Clinton. It was released in 1985 by Capitol Records. Though it wasn't as successful as ''Computer Games'', Clinton's first solo album, ''Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends' ...

'', and '' R&B Skeletons in the Closet'') as well as a live album, '' Mothership Connection (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

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 ea ...

'', 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'', "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

, Clinton's songs with Parliament-Funkadelic were often sampled 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 ''The Cinderella Theory'' is the fifth studio album by American funk musician George Clinton, released August 2, 1989, on Paisley Park Records. It was released three years after his previous studio effort, ''R&B Skeletons in the Closet'', which w ...

'' 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'' in 1993. Clinton then signed with Sony 550 and released ''

T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. ''T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.'' is a 1996 album by funk musician George Clinton. The title, which is an abbreviation for ''The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership'', refers to the P-Funk Mothership that was first introduced in 1975 on Parliament ...

'' (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 Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums). ...

's studio album '' Give Out But Don't Give Up''. 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 class ...

''. Clinton appeared in films such as '' Graffiti Bridge'' (1990), '' House Party'' (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 In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically cate ...

television film '' Cosmic Slop''. In 1997, he appeared as himself in the

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...

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

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 w ...

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 h ...

and Fred Durst 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 a ...

". 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, Snoop ...

'';

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be p ...

on the song and video for " Bop Gun (One Nation)" on the ''

Lethal Injection Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium solution) for the express purpose of causing rapid death. The main application for this procedure is capital puni ...

'' album (which sampled Funkadelic's earlier hit " One Nation Under A Groove"); Outkast on the song "Synthesizer" from the album '' Aquemini''; Redman on the song "J.U.M.P." from the album '' Malpractice'';

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 n ...

on "Mama Knows Best" from the album '' Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution'';

Killah Priest Walter Reed (born August 16, 1970), better known by his stage name Killah Priest, is an American rapper, member of Sunz of Man and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville, Brooklyn. He is known for his int ...

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''. 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 television sitcom ''

How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas (screenwriter), Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main c ...

'', on September 18, 2006. He appeared on the intro to

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

'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 i ...

'' 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 Sant ...

'' on

Shanachie Records Shanachie Records is an American, New Jersey-based record label, founded in 1975 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. The label is named for the Gaelic word '' seanchaí'' (anglicised as shanachie), an Irish storyteller. It was previously distrib ...

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

, El DeBarge,

, RZA,

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound feature ...

, gospel singer Kim Burrell 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

associate

, as well contemporary performers such as Big Boi from Outkast and Cee-Lo Green 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.

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'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 and

Grandmaster Flash Joseph Saddler (born January 1, 1958), popularly known by his stage name Grandmaster Flash, is an American DJ and rapper. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Hip Hop DJing, cutting, scratching and mixing. Grandmaster Flash and the ...

on stage at the

Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...

to perform Ronson's hit " Uptown Funk". 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.'' In March 2017, Clinton appeared on the

television series '' FishCenter Live''. '' The Outline''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 in

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 A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

'' reported that Clinton had recently undergone

pacemaker An artificial cardiac pacemaker (or artificial pacemaker, so as not to be confused with the natural cardiac pacemaker) or pacemaker is a medical device that generates electrical impulses delivered by electrodes to the chambers of the heart ei ...

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, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' that he had made a hologram, 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 Awards. The awards will be presented on May 11, 2019. Clinton collaborated with Flying Lotus 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'' movie that premiered on April 10, 2020. In 2022, Clinton competed in season eight of '' The Masked Singer'' 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 champi ...

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.,

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.

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 Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a historically African-American fraternity. The fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, by three Howard University juniors Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper and Frank Coleman, and their faculty a ...

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 M ...

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

. 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. ...

album '' Graffiti Bridge'') * 1990: '' House Party'' (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 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

y Dogg album '' Doggystyle'') * 1993: "Tight" (from the MC Breed album '' The New Breed'') * 1994: '' PCU'' (George Clinton, as himself) * 1993: " Bop Gun (One Nation)" (from the

album ''

'') * 1994: "P-Funk" (''

NBA Jam ''NBA Jam'' (sometimes "Jam" for short) is a long-running basketball video game series based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). Initially developed as arcade games by Midway, the game found popularity with its photorealistic digiti ...

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

album '' Give Out But Don't Give Up'') * 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 Patrick Leroy "Sleepy" Brown (born January 24, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Savannah, Georgia. He is ...

album ''

Brainchild Brainchild may refer to: * Brainchild (band), a local supergroup from Youngstown, Ohio, 1969–1972 * ''Brainchild'' (Society of Soul album), 1996 * ''Brainchild'' (Circle of Dust album), 1994 * Fictional comic characters in the Marvel Universe: ...

'') * 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 '' Aquemini'') * 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

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 the roots of west coast gangsta music, but it sold less than the rapper's two previous albums. Track listing Samples Ghetto V ...

'') * 2001: "J.U.M.P." (from the Redman album '' Malpractice'') * 2002: "The Movie" (from the Too Short album '' What's My Favorite Word?'') * 2003: "Hey Bulldog" (from the Eric McFadden album ''Diamonds To Coal'') * 2005: "Lotus Flower" (from the Blackalicious 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, 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 its way to r ...

'') * 2006: "Intrology" (from the

album ''

'') * 2006: "The Doctor and the Kidd" (from the People Under the Stairs album '' Stepfather'') * 2007: "Wolves" and "Tar Pit" (from the

album '' 8 Diagrams'') * 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'') * 2008: "Hitler's Brain" (from the Die Warzau 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 Big Boi album '' Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty'') * 2010: "Red Wine" & "Red Wine (Skit)" (from the Stevie Stone album ''New Kid Comin'') * 2011: "D-Funk (Funk With Us)" (from The Headhunters 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 Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state cha ...

, Detroit, Michigan; Halftime Concert featuring

Kid Rock Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known professionally as Kid Rock (also known as Bobby Shazam), is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. His style alternates between rock, hip hop, country, and metal. A self-taught musician ...

) * 2013: "Tonight We Ride" (from the

album '' The Psychic World of Walter Reed'') * 2013: "Do the Damn Thang" (from the

Ralph Myerz Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band is a Norwegian electronica/ hip-hop group/producer. Career The band was formed in 1997. They released a 7" and a 12" on Telle Records. In 2002, they were signed by the U.S. label Emperor Norton Records an ...

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 '' To Pimp a Butterfly'') * 2015: "The Lavishments of Light Looking" (from the Adult Swim Singles Program 2015 by WOKE) * 2016: "Do the Damn Thang" (Da YoungFellaz single featuring

& Nipsey Hussle) * 2016: "Cool Joe" (new version by George Clinton & Funky Taurus) * 2016: "Riot" (from the

Childish Gambino Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glov ...

album ''

"Awaken, My Love!" ''"Awaken, My Love!"'' is the third studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released by Glassnote Records on December 2, 2016. Consisting of tracks being sung rather than rapped, its f ...

'') * 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 Flying Lotus 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 Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodríguez (born 1989), known professionally as Cimafunk, is a Cuban musician known for mixing funk and hip hop with Cuban and Afro-Caribbean music. His most recent album ''El Alimento'' was released in October 2021. B ...

& 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