By Ismael AbduSalaam and Grouchy Greg
Funk legend George Clinton has endured as a seminal influence on Hip-Hop culture due to his pioneering 70’s work with Parliament/Funkadelic.
In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com, Clinton talks about the expanding culture, rappers he holds in high esteem, censorship, and his upcoming album, George Clinton and Some Gangsters of Love.
Unlike his peers, Clinton from Hip-Hop’s inception, never had issues with the music’s consistent use of sampling, even when he wasn’t being financially compensated.
“Hip-Hop has helped keep funk alive,” Clinton explained to AllHipHop.com. “The parents finally started liking it because it had that P-funk in it. Then the kids started learning about the (original) P-funk. So you have two generations in Hip-Hop.”
By chance Clinton met a teenage Eminem, who at the time was working with Clinton’s album engineer.
Even then, Clinton claims the shy but confident Detroit MC had future stardom written all over him.
“He (the engineer) brought Eminem to me and I was like ‘that’s the one,’” Clinton reminisced. “He was only 15 then but that boy could play the dozens like he was from 127th Street in New York. Whoever he hung around with he got the essence and what I always thought Hip-Hop was about which is being able to handle getting talked about right in your face without killing someone.”
Now in his fifth decade as a recording artist, Clinton is preparing to release his new album of remakes, titled George Clinton and Some Gangsters of Love.
The new album features a number of superstars, including Carols Santana, Sly Stone, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, El DeBarge and The RZA, who help Clinton reinterpret some of his favorite oldies.
“Working with RZA was like the old days back in Jersey,” the Plainfield, New Jersey native fondly stated. “ODB [Ol Dirty Bastard] was my boy. Him and Redman I’ve known forever. Rakim is like Miles Davis to me. I would love to see him do to a thing with Sly (from Sly and the Family Stone) and Eminem.”
Clinton also weighed in on the controversy that surrounded Nas’ new album, which was originally titled N***er.
“I think the kid had the right idea,” Clinton told AllHipHop.com. “If you want to get rid of a bad word say it to death. Say it until it doesn’t have the meaning that it had before. It has a old school meaning (but) once a few generations pass of kids not being defensive against it then it’ll be like saying ‘your momma.’ It’s your choice if you let that word make you feel bad. Once you get to (a certain point) you’ll be like forget them, it (the word) doesn’t dictate who I am or what I’m about.”
George Clinton’s new album, George Clinton and Some Gangsters of Love, is set for release on September 16.
