Funk music pioneer George Clinton has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and its UMG Recordings division, accusing the company of withholding more than $1.1 million in royalty payments for over three years.
According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on May 15, Clinton alleges that UMG froze 100% of the royalties tied to several of his royalty accounts, including earnings connected to his legendary work with Parliament-Funkadelic and other recording projects.
The lawsuit claims UMG used an ongoing legal dispute involving the estate of late Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell as justification for withholding payments. However, Clinton’s legal team argues that the label had already been dismissed from that separate lawsuit in 2023 and had no legal basis to continue freezing his royalties.
Clinton accuses the music giant of breach of contract and says the withheld royalties impact multiple recording agreements dating back decades. The complaint reportedly argues that the royalty freeze extends beyond the recordings connected to the Worrell estate dispute and includes projects unrelated to the case.
The legendary artist, known for helping shape the sound of funk music through groups like Parliament and Funkadelic, is seeking the release of the allegedly withheld funds along with additional damages and legal relief.
The lawsuit marks another major legal battle involving music royalties and catalog rights as artists continue pushing back against record labels and distributors over royalty accounting and payment disputes.
