George Clinton sues Universal Music Group US$1.1 million over frozen royalties
The funk legend claims that 100% of royalties owed to him have been withheld for three years
Funk legend George Clinton has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over alleged withheld royalties, claiming he’s owed some US$1.1 million from the major label.
The Parliament-Funkadelic singer alleges that UMG has sat on 100% of his royalties for more than three years, according to a 20-page complaint obtained by Music Business Worldwide (MBW).
The complaint was filed at a court in Michigan on Friday, May 15, and accuses the label of “breach of contract”, withholding royalties across at least 12 accounts related to him for music released after 1969, including his production work with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
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It also alleges that UMG used a "third-party lawsuit to which UMG is not a party" as a reason to freeze royalty payments, citing a legal dispute involving Clinton and the estate of late Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell.
"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," the complaint reads (via MBW).
"[It’s] based on a third-party lawsuit to which UMG is not a party, in which UMG faces no claim, in which UMG could incur no liability, and in which the third party has now lost on summary judgment."
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The latest lawsuit alleges that royalties have been withheld due to the separate case, which claims that Worrell had co-ownership of some P-Funk recordings prior to his death.
UMG was originally named in the complaint, but was dismissed in 2023. A federal judge later ruled in favour of Clinton in late 2025, finding that he did not owe the estate of Worrell royalties for tracks such as ‘Give Up the Funk’ and ‘Maggot Brain’.
Read the full legal filing here.
[Via Music Business Worldwide]
Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor
