George Clinton, the founder of Parliament-Funkadelic, has filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging that the company has withheld 100% of his royalties across at...
According to Music Business Worldwide, the legal filing seeks compensatory damages exceeding $1.1 million.
The lawsuit provides specific figures regarding the funds currently owed to the funk innovator.
George Clinton, the founder of Parliament-Funkadelic, has filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging that the company has withheld 100% of his royalties across at least 12 different accounts for more than three years.
According to Music Business Worldwide, the legal filing seeks compensatory damages exceeding $1.1 million. In addition to the monetary award, Clinton is requesting the immediate release of all withheld royalties, a full accounting of his earnings, and an injunction to prevent UMG from withholding further payments. The lawsuit also seeks the recovery of attorneys’ fees.
Financial Breakdown of Withheld Funds
The lawsuit provides specific figures regarding the funds currently owed to the funk innovator. Based on quarterly statements from the end of 2025, Clinton is owed $996,123.03 in royalties related to Parliament.
From Instagram — related to Clijo Productions, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Beyond the Parliament royalties, the filing identifies additional withheld sums from other professional ventures. These include $99,000 tied to a Clinton/Clijo Productions account and $29,543.22 resulting from Clinton’s collaborative work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The legal team representing Clinton asserts that the freeze on these funds is comprehensive, claiming that UMG is withholding 100% of royalties from every account spanning the entirety of Clinton’s recording career, encompassing work both before and after 1976.
The Dispute Over Third-Party Litigation
The core of the legal dispute involves UMG’s decision to halt payments based on a third-party lawsuit. The filing argues that UMG used a legal action involving another party as justification to freeze Clinton’s assets, despite UMG not being a party to the claim and facing no liability within it.
Parliament-Funkadelic's George Clinton files lawsuit over music catalog
“This is a straightforward breach of contract case arising from UMG’s decision to withhold 100% of royalties payable to Plaintiff under governing recording agreements based on a third-party lawsuit to which UMG is not a party. UMG faces no claim, in which UMG could incur no liability, and in which the third party has now lost on summary judgment.”
Universal Music Group Parliament
Court Filing
The third-party litigation in question involved the estate of Bernie Worrell, the late keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic. Clinton’s lawsuit contends that the Worrell estate never claimed any interest in the specific recordings that UMG has frozen.
“The [Worrell] Estate has never claimed any interest in those recordings… Which were created decades after Bernie Worrell’s involvement with Parliament, on a different label, with different artists, and under a different contract… The amount UMG is withholding bears no rational relationship to any ‘potential liability in issue.’ no such potential liability exists at all.”
Court Filing
Financial Impact and Additional Legal Actions
Clinton’s legal representatives have characterized the withholding of these funds as “financially crippling.” The filing emphasizes that these royalties serve as the musician’s primary source of income, making the prolonged freeze particularly damaging.
This action against Universal Music Group is not the only legal battle Clinton has pursued recently. In March 2025, Clinton filed a separate $100 million copyright lawsuit against Arman Boladian, identified as his former business partner.
