Funk legend George Clinton has filed a $100 million lawsuit against his former business partner, Armen Boladian, and Bridgeport Music, alleging the unlawful theft of his music catalog rights.
Clinton, known as the leader of Parliament-Funkadelic, announced the lawsuit on March 11 during a press conference outside Harlem’s Apollo Theater alongside civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.
The lawsuit, filed in Florida District Court, names Boladian, Bridgeport Music, Westbound Records, Nine Records, Southfield Music, and Eastbound Records as defendants.
It alleges that Boladian engaged in fraudulent practices, using manipulated agreements between 1982 and 1985 to claim ownership of more than 90% of Clinton’s music catalog.
Clinton contends that Boladian withheld millions of dollars in royalties and improperly profited from legal actions taken in the early 2000s without his involvement.
“These songs we’re talking about are my history,” Clinton said during the press conference. “I have to fight for them; I have to make sure that I did not do all of this my whole life and have my family here, not get what’s due to them, what they inherit.”
The legal battle is the latest chapter in a decades-long dispute between Clinton and Boladian. In 2001, a Florida court ruled that music written by Clinton between 1976 and 1983 belonged to Bridgeport Music. However, in 2021, Boladian lost a defamation case over statements made in Clinton’s autobiography, Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You?, where Clinton accused him of fabricating documents and fraudulently altering contracts.
Attorney Richard Busch, representing Boladian and Bridgeport Music, dismissed the claims, stating:
“This is just the latest in a series of lawsuits that Mr. Clinton has filed against Bridgeport and Armen Boladian over the last 30 years raising the same exact issues. He has lost each and every time… We will obviously, therefore, be moving to dismiss this lawsuit and will be seeking sanctions.”
Clinton remains determined to reclaim control of his catalog, emphasizing that ownership disputes disproportionately affect Black artists.
“We don’t have a chance to pass down 40 acres and mules to our families. We do not have the copyrights for the songs,” he said. “I’m here along with Ben and partners to make sure that Armen does not get what we worked so hard for.”
The case could have significant implications for intellectual property rights in the music industry, particularly regarding artist control over legacy catalogs.
Clinton’s lawsuit seeks not only financial restitution but also a precedent for artists seeking to regain ownership of their work.
