One of my favorite rappers in the world is TI. He's not just my favorite rapper because his lyrics are the "dopest" in the industry, but also because he has advocated against youth violence and seems to want something better for himself and the world. More importantly, TI's lyrics reflect a sense of wisdom that you don't necessarily get from Lil Wayne and other artists. He also seems to understand that to get through life as a survivor, you have to be intelligent and educated about the circumstances within which you operate.
The music industry is brutal for anyone who does not understand how it works. If you think that getting by in the business is all about beats and rhymes, then you are asking for a serious beating.
Funk legend George Clinton has learned this lesson the hard way, as he is now working at the age of 68 to regain some of the intellectual property rights he lost over the years in a series of very lopsided contracts.
"At a time when he should be able to live off his life's work, Clinton is struggling to provide for his family and give his mother a proper burial," read a statement from ESM, a company that now represents Clinton. Clinton's mother, Julious G. Keaton, died this month in North Carolina. It is alleged that Clinton could not afford to pay for his own mother's funeral.
According to the company, George Clinton "has received little monetary gain over the past three decades from his musical works, such as "Flashlight" and "One Nation Under a Groove." Even Clinton's song "Atomic Dog," one of the most sampled songs in history, does not belong to him.
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George Clinton Pics
George Clinton performs during the 2009 Voodoo Experience Day 2 at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2009 Voodoo Experience - Day 2 City Park New Orleans, Louisiana United States October 31, 2009 Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58798898), contact FilmMagic.com
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George Clinton performs during the 2009 Voodoo Experience Day 2 at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2009 Voodoo Experience - Day 2 City Park New Orleans, Louisiana United States October 31, 2009 Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58798898), contact FilmMagic.com
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.com
George Clinton performs during the 2009 Voodoo Experience Day 2 at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 2009 Voodoo Experience - Day 2 City Park New Orleans, Louisiana United States October 31, 2009 Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.com To license this image (58798875), contact FilmMagic.com
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.com
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
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NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 31: George Clinton of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performs as part of the 2009 Voodoo Music Experience at City Park on October 31, 2009 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** George Clinton
Getty Images
In spite of all the brilliance Clinton showed as an entertainer, his lack of foresight and understanding of his business led him into bankruptcy in 1984. He is now fighting back against former business managers, Armen Boladian (Bridgeport Music, Inc.) and Nene Montes (Tercer Mundo), who were instructed to act as Clinton's trustees after his bankruptcy.
"There were several documents that appear to have George's signature on them which turns most of his publishing and masters over to Boladian and Montes, which caused Clinton to lose all rights and financial gain to all of his songs," ESM said in the statement. "Clinton asserts that he would not be so careless as to sign over complete rights to his music for a lifetime. This brings to the forefront the ethical relationship between artist and the third parties whom they entrust to take care of their business."
I've been teaching in business schools for the last 16 years, so I've seen this story play itself out more times than you can imagine. It happens in sports, music and every other form of entertainment. It also happens quite often to
African Americans. When it comes to George Clinton and the business of entertainment, here's the bottom line:
1) The industry is not here to help you: Capitalism is a beast that is designed to enslave those who are not protected. While we hope that the government protects us, sometimes it does not. At the end of the day, you protect yourself by being aware of how the system works and how to properly position yourself.
2) Your hard work means nothing if you don't own something: Did you notice that the acronym for the Oprah Winfrey Network is OWN? Do you really think Oprah is worth a billion dollars just because she is a good talk show host? I rest my case.
3) Education is always the key: I don't care if you want to do hair, fix cars, run a law firm, or dribble a basketball, you are always better off when you spend some time studying the fundamentals of business. Any entertainer who is not also a business person has set himself/herself up for failure. As the old saying goes, "A fool and his money will soon part ways." Don't let that person be you.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (26)
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By: Kalynn on 1/05/2010 4:21PM
Dr. Boyce,
When you talk about what you know, you are ON POINT. I've been sharing the Oprah acronym with all that will listen, OWN. If you don't OWN it, you "ain't" got a thing coming. When will these older, younger, athlete's, musicians, inlaws, outlaws, wise but mostly otherwis BLACK AFRICAN Americans wake up and start handling business. Enough said!
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By: blaine muhammad on 1/06/2010 12:34PM
Why should the industry help out a man that smokes up all his money. If he he chooses to get on drugs its on him. I used to see him hanging out in Hollywood at all night check cashing places!
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By: OOOZZZZZ on 1/05/2010 9:04PM
George Clinton at 68, the late James Brown at 70, Aretha Franklin and many other older artists who are still performing today and not performing just for the love of performing their craft and entertaining fans, but to keep food on the table, make that monthly house note and above all "slave to that contract" and due to this vicious "eats it's young" continious cycle that the entertainment business is, the majority of these young entertainers you see today with all the bling, the swag and the dollars will fall into the same trap.
And I'm just not talking about the current "one-hit wonders" in the game on the low end of the money scale, but the headliners: Beyonce, Jay-Z, Kayne, L'il Wayne, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg etc would not suprise me in the least bit that in the next 20 years and beyond, that we will be having a similair conservation about them because they will have the same fate as brother George Clinton.
And the biggest hurdle for today's artists? Rap and Hip Hop will not expand and retain the lasting & staying power of Soul/R&B and Funk music.
L'il Jon's "Get Low" and Beyonce's "Put A Ring On It" will not have the lasting affect and staying power as the Isley Brothers "Between the Sheets" or Minny Riperton's "Lovin You".
Bitches, Ho's, Whips, thug-life, going to jail, profanity and strip club booty-shaking etc won't cut it for today's young fans in their late middle/senior ages and how will it look with Snoop Dogg and Beyonce on stage at 50 years of age singing their now all-time hits?
The three factors that Dr. Boyce talks about: (1) "The industry is not here to help you", (2) "Your hard work means nothing if you don't own something" & (3) "Education is always the key" will hit the present day music superstars squarly in the ass in the same manner as brother George.
Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll = expenses, expenses, expenses for the artist, not the corporation.
Just ask TLC and Toni Braxton.
Bottom line: This is all about the music corporations making all the money, not the artist. They just attract, use up and recycle.
No different than pro sports: the NBA, MLB or NFL.
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By: topaz on 1/06/2010 7:00AM
i agree with you too. record companies just want to make money not making real music. pretty soon these artists will fade away and 20 yrs from now. i do feel sorry for george clinton though. he was making good songs but he should have looked out for his finanical assets along time ago. black artists need to read more often on their contracts especially when it comes to the fine print. there is nothing wrong spending your money once you have earned it but you should make decent decisions on your finances. good luck to george clinton.
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By: Adaila on 1/06/2010 6:47AM
I love George Clinton....I wish him well and I'm an artist and I can truly relate to his insights and teaching.....
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By: ARNEADER on 1/05/2010 10:29PM
This is SAD his peers should cover for him.
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By: Shellfish789 on 1/06/2010 6:57AM
It's all about MONEY......All that Glitter has to come out of the ARtist Money due to them......
My Question is why did Sammy Davis Jr. Died Broke and the other Rat Pack had money....Frank Sinatra had Money and Dan Martin died with money...Sammy Davis Died Broke
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By: topaz on 1/06/2010 7:03AM
rat pack crew had the right folks taking care of their funds but sammy davis was spending his money alot and not paying his debt made his situation worse before he died.
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By: Shellfish789 on 1/06/2010 7:58AM
Can you tell me why only Women who's mixed or white women who sing BLACK are only being promoted and getting good endorsments and BIG promotion billings...
There's no "Chocolate" skin color getting major promotions despite of their TALENT.....they only want Mixed and White women who sing and acting Black that's getting promotions.....WHY...
So you can tell me they want the sound of a Black women, but not her skin color.......!
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By: RC on 1/06/2010 8:59AM
Karma is real. GC stalled and sidetracked the careers of many artists who helped him realize his sound. Many of these artists have died or are in similiar or worse financial situations than him. So why now are we to act as if the music business did him wrong..when he was so zapped by drugs that HE allowed it to be done to him, then turned around and did it to others. I love Funk and admire his body of work...but why do we revise the past to suit some convenient version of the present that seeks pity from us?
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