George Clinton Files Lawsuit Against UMG Over Alleged Withheld Royalties

Funk pioneer George Clinton has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and its UMG Recordings division, claiming the company has withheld more than $1.1 million in royalty payments for over three years.

The complaint, filed in federal court in Michigan on May 15, accuses the label of breaching contractual obligations by freezing royalty payments tied to multiple accounts connected to Clinton’s decades-long catalog. According to the lawsuit, the funds represent income generated from recordings spanning numerous projects and labels throughout the legendary artist’s career.

At the center of the dispute is an ongoing legal battle involving the estate of late Bernie Worrell, a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell’s estate previously sought partial ownership of certain recordings connected to the group. However, Clinton’s lawsuit argues that UMG continued freezing his royalties even after the label itself was dismissed from that case and after a federal judge ruled in Clinton’s favor in 2025.

The filing alleges that UMG has withheld royalties across at least a dozen separate accounts, including music unrelated to the Worrell estate dispute. Among the examples cited are royalties connected to Clinton’s production work with Red Hot Chili Peppers, which the lawsuit says has no connection whatsoever to the ownership claims raised in the earlier litigation.

According to court documents, nearly $1 million remains frozen in a Parliament-related royalty account alone, while additional six-figure sums are allegedly being withheld from other Clinton-affiliated accounts.

Clinton’s legal team argues that the label is improperly relying on a clause within a decades-old recording agreement that allows royalty withholding in cases involving potential liability. The lawsuit claims no such liability currently exists, especially given UMG’s removal from the original case years ago.

The complaint also describes the withheld royalties as financially damaging to Clinton, stating that the payments represent a major source of income for the iconic musician, songwriter, and producer.

In addition to seeking the release of the frozen funds, Clinton is requesting a full accounting of all affected royalty accounts, damages exceeding $1.1 million, and an injunction preventing future withholding.

The lawsuit marks yet another legal battle involving Clinton’s music rights and royalty earnings. In 2025, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee also sued longtime music executive Armen Boladian and Bridgeport Music over alleged copyright and royalty misconduct tied to his catalog.