George Clinton files $100 million copyright lawsuit over ownership of his music

nme.com:

George Clinton has filed a $100 million copyright lawsuit against his former business partner Armen Boladian and his Bridgeport Music company over ownership of his music.The Parliament-Funkadelic musician – who is set to be be inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame later this year – has alleged that Boladian fraudulently obtained copyrights to approximately 90 per cent of his catalogue.In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday (March 11) in the Florida District Court, the funk legend alleged Boladian and Bridgeport, as well as Westbound Records, Nine Records, Southfield Music and Eastbound Records, have unlawfully profited from his music.He went on to hold a press conference outside of the Apollo Theatre to announce the suit alongside his attorney Ben Crump, stating that he aimed to reclaim ownership of his catalogue to provide for his family.“These songs we’re talking about is my history,” Clinton said (via Variety). “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.“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. So I’m here along with Ben and partners to make sure that Armen does not get what we worked so hard for.”The ‘Atomic Dog’ singer concluded: “I will continue to speak truth to power and to fight against the forces that have separated so many songwriters from their music,” adding that he encouraged his peers to “investigate, interrogate, litigate, unseal, reveal”.“If we don’t get this right, then they win, and I refuse to let them win,” he said.