George Clinton, who is without a doubt one of Funk’s greatest contributors and curators, celebrates his 70th birthday today.
Clinton who is known as much for his colorful choices in hair and fashions, as he is for his eclectic and energetic musical rifts, has been apart of mainstream music for over five decades.
In his illustrious career, Clinton has created some of the most infectious music of our times, even creating a sub-genre of Funk he affectionately christened P-Funk. P-Funk holds Funk at its foundation and emphasizes a heavy use of “spacey” synthesizers, steady drumming with little or no interruptions for solos, a high infusion of Rock and a blistering horn section.
Clinton and his Parliament-Funkadelics are known for their racy lyrics which provide a comical take on topics as serious as sex and drugs mixed with socio-political satire. Fans who take the time to find the true meaning of their lyrics will discover that Clinton is a self-aware poet, who may not take his entertainer character seriously but who takes his poetry (music) and the world as seriously as a heart attack.
Parliament-Funkadelic, a group Clinton formed 55 years ago in Plainfield, New Jersey, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. He would go onto write music for artist and groups which include The Jackson 5 and The Supremes.
Clinton has produced music for some of the biggest artist and bands in the business including fellow Funk legend and one time James Brown band member Bootsy Collins, as well as Rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Look through the musical catalogs of some of today’s biggest names in Hip-Hop and you’re guaranteed to see a sample of one of Clinton’s classics which include “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker), “Flash Light”, “Nubian Nut” as well as the classic “Quickie” which tells the tale of a woman who is looking for a non-committed hookup, a one night stand of sorts.
Clinton proves with each passing moment that Funk is here to stay, right along with him. He is outspoken against music piracy and sampling, tours extensively, continuing to “tear the roof off the sucker”.