The legendary maestro George Clinton ascended to new heights as he was bestowed with the 2,769th star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, January 19th. The ceremony, held at 11:30 am PT at the illustrious 6752 Hollywood Boulevard, unfolded as a spectacular celebration of Clinton’s unparalleled contributions to the realm of music, specifically in the category of Recording.
The atmosphere was charged with excitement as the charismatic emcee Sibley Scoles took the stage, orchestrating an unforgettable event that will resonate in Hollywood’s collective memory. The star-studded affair was not just a recognition but a joyous festival of George’s illustrious career. Surrounded by the warm embrace of family and friends, George Clinton reveled in the moment, celebrating throughout the day and into the evening.
The ceremony presented an impressive lineup of luminaries, with special guest speakers that included Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Civil Rights Lawyer Ben Crump, and legendary Motown songwriter Janie Bradford. Each speaker shared heartfelt stories of their encounters with George, underscoring his magnetic charisma, friendship, and profound impact on the world.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president, Steve Nissen, elicited thunderous applause from the captivated audience when he proclaimed January 19 as “George Clinton Day in Hollywood!” A fitting tribute to a living legend.
Throughout the day notable figures celebrated with George such as the Soulful Virtuoso of Rock and Roll Lenny Kravitz, original P-Funk band members, and DJ Cassidy and DJ Battle Cat. Their presence further elevated the grandeur of the occasion, turning it into a star-studded gala befitting the musical icon.
George Clinton’s influence extends far beyond the Walk of Fame, as evidenced by his timeless hits like “P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up),” “Mothership Connection,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” and “(Not Just) Knee Deep.” These classics continue to resonate with fans, defining an era of musical innovation.
When you think of P-Funk, you probably think about your parents (or grandparents). The sound that sculpted out groove and fantasy translated through music made itself popular in the 70s and 80s, but has lived on through Hip-Hop from the 90s until now. With that said, the Father of The Funk, George Clinton could quite arguably one of the most important voices still alive in popular music. That would not be hype. That would not be exaggeration. It would simply be the truth. In fact, veteran rapper Snoop Dogg said that his influence on his life has been immeasurable, and that there is a direct correlation between his name and Clinton’s hit song “Atomic Dog!”
So it is no surprise that the Grammy organization would tap him and his partner Bootsy Collins, Sheila E. and other dynamic artists to perform in the “Grammy Salute to Music Legends” airing as part of PBS’ “Great Performances” series Friday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS. During the show, the Academy will spotlight its 2019 Special Merit Awards recipients.
Clinton his group Parliament-Funkadelic will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Other honorees are Black Sabbath, Billy Eckstine, Donny Hathaway, Julio Iglesias, Sam & Dave, and Dionne Warwick.
Lou Adler, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, and Johnny Mandel are Trustees Award honorees; and Saul Walker is the Technical Grammy Award recipient. Also being honored is Jeffery Redding, this year’s recipient of the Music Educator Award, which is presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum.
Lyrical wunderkind Aesop Rock was a standout sensation during the Underground Hip-Hop boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His poetic imagery and didactic bars were complex conundrums that many listeners enjoyed unraveling. The MC/producer worked with the likes of MF DOOM, El-P, and the Weathermen during a celebrated time in Rap music, especially in New York.
While Aesop made his name as an artist with the Mush label, and later, on El’s Definitive Jux squad, this decade he’s been rolling with the Rhymesayers family, co-founded by Atmosphere. As recently as 2016’s The Impossible Kid, Rock has made some of his best Hip-Hop in years. He keeps the art exciting through interesting visuals, rugged flows, and compelling takes on the state of the culture.
Outside from his respected solo catalog, Aesop has enjoyed the craft of collaboration. The Portland, Oregon transplant has side groups/projects with fellow Weathermen alum, Cage (2 of A Kind), Homeboy Sandman (Lice), Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz (Hail Mary Mallon), Kimya Dawson (The Uncluded), and his latest endeavor, Malibu Ken, with producer Tobacco. The latter duo just released the video for their second single, the slightly uncomfortable and purposefully awkward “Corn Maze.”
As he is prone to do, Aesop raps about his nervous and awkward tendencies. He transforms his own experiences into a poetry so esoteric, it demands dozens of listens to decipher. The beat is similarly challenging but the fuzzy drums and synth plinks are exactly the kind of sound-bed Rock excels on.
The quirky visuals of “Corn Maze” are a handled by Rob Shaw, Aesop’s longtime videographer. The animation is clearly a tribute to Saturday morning cartoons from the early 1980s, but will likely remind many of Adventure Time as well. The plot is simple: three adventurers must unite to stop gargantuan, cyborg rat.
Aesop’s wordplay is as sharp as ever. In the second verse he raps, “In a lavish rabbit hole with no rabbits/ Young dumb dust bunnies jump into traffic / Casually gussied up and done feeling unsung and savage / Punk we have come for your cabbage / I’m bad news travel like a rat through your cabinet / Spaz Twenty paw pads full of scabs / Often a false ad full plaid all dander / Blast off black jackdaws on his antlers / Zero faithers / Wearily fear his neighbors / Some day we’ll find a way to make these billionaires obey us / Some day we’ll earn a subdivision gaudier than reprobates / Who sit around impressed and guess the order of the Tetris rain / With Biblical as reckoning / Son of surly Satan torn asunder / Private number, public urination / We socialize with pundits who encompass all the wrong stuff / I count the bread quick, I got some walls up.” The full-length album is due next month on RSE.
Lyrical wunderkind Aesop Rock was a standout sensation during the Underground Hip-Hop boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. His poetic imagery and didactic bars were complex conundrums that many listeners enjoyed unraveling. The MC/producer worked with the likes of MF DOOM, El-P, and the Weathermen during a celebrated time in Rap music, especially in New York.
While Aesop made his name as an artist with the Mush label, and later, on El’s Definitive Jux squad, this decade he’s been rolling with the Rhymesayers family, co-founded by Atmosphere. As recently as 2016’s The Impossible Kid, Rock has made some of his best Hip-Hop in years. He keeps the art exciting through interesting visuals, rugged flows, and compelling takes on the state of the culture.
Outside from his respected solo catalog, Aesop has enjoyed the craft of collaboration. The Portland, Oregon transplant has side groups/projects with fellow Weathermen alum, Cage (2 of A Kind), Homeboy Sandman (Lice), Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz (Hail Mary Mallon), Kimya Dawson (The Uncluded), and his latest endeavor, Malibu Ken, with producer Tobacco. The latter duo just released the video for their second single, the slightly uncomfortable and purposefully awkward “Corn Maze.”
As he is prone to do, Aesop raps about his nervous and awkward tendencies. He transforms his own experiences into a poetry so esoteric, it demands dozens of listens to decipher. The beat is similarly challenging but the fuzzy drums and synth plinks are exactly the kind of sound-bed Rock excels on.
The quirky visuals of “Corn Maze” are a handled by Rob Shaw, Aesop’s longtime videographer. The animation is clearly a tribute to Saturday morning cartoons from the early 1980s, but will likely remind many of Adventure Time as well. The plot is simple: three adventurers must unite to stop gargantuan, cyborg rat.
Aesop’s wordplay is as sharp as ever. In the second verse he raps, “In a lavish rabbit hole with no rabbits/ Young dumb dust bunnies jump into traffic / Casually gussied up and done feeling unsung and savage / Punk we have come for your cabbage / I’m bad news travel like a rat through your cabinet / Spaz Twenty paw pads full of scabs / Often a false ad full plaid all dander / Blast off black jackdaws on his antlers / Zero faithers / Wearily fear his neighbors / Some day we’ll find a way to make these billionaires obey us / Some day we’ll earn a subdivision gaudier than reprobates / Who sit around impressed and guess the order of the Tetris rain / With Biblical as reckoning / Son of surly Satan torn asunder / Private number, public urination / We socialize with pundits who encompass all the wrong stuff / I count the bread quick, I got some walls up.” The full-length album is due next month on RSE.
Earlier this month, Ice Cube released his first solo album in eight years with Everythangs Corrupt. As the title may suggest, the 30-plus-year Rap legend tackles numerous social and political issues on the project. The LP’s first single “Arrest The President” takes aim at the White House and called for handcuffing the President for illegal activities while “Chase Down The Bully,” another song on the album, attacks white supremacy as well as tribalism, including some fiery references to Unite The Right protestors in Charlottesville last year. The latest look from Everythangs Corrupt finds Cube returning to his G-Funk era while adding in a colorful splash of psychedelia. “That New Funkadelic” is a party that would make Uncle George Clinton proud.
Directed by James Larese, the video is a perfect nod to one of George Clinton’s two iconic groups, which Cube has worked with in the past (alongside Kendrick Lamar). It’s also super trippy with bright colors and numerous West Coast-related figures running through the screen. He also twists up his fingers one time for the land that he loves and has represented throughout his iconic run.
In addition to music, Cube confirmed earlier this year that he’s finishing up the script to Last Friday, the final film in the Friday movie series (which he co-founded with Pooh).
Earlier this month, Ice Cube released his first solo album in eight years with Everythangs Corrupt. As the title may suggest, the 30-plus-year Rap legend tackles numerous social and political issues on the project. The LP’s first single “Arrest The President” takes aim at the White House and called for handcuffing the President for illegal activities while “Chase Down The Bully,” another song on the album, attacks white supremacy as well as tribalism, including some fiery references to Unite The Right protestors in Charlottesville last year. The latest look from Everythangs Corrupt finds Cube returning to his G-Funk era while adding in a colorful splash of psychedelia. “That New Funkadelic” is a party that would make Uncle George Clinton proud.
Directed by James Larese, the video is a perfect nod to one of George Clinton’s two iconic groups, which Cube has worked with in the past (alongside Kendrick Lamar). It’s also super trippy with bright colors and numerous West Coast-related figures running through the screen. He also twists up his fingers one time for the land that he loves and has represented throughout his iconic run.
In addition to music, Cube confirmed earlier this year that he’s finishing up the script to Last Friday, the final film in the Friday movie series (which he co-founded with Pooh).
