George Clinton Arrested on Drug Charge

AP ^ | 12/08/2003 | AP

[ClintonBeGone]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Funk music pioneer George Clinton was arrested and charged with drug possession after allegedly telling an officer he had cocaine in his pocket.

Clinton, of Tallahassee, was arrested Saturday and bonded out of jail over the weekend, according to jail officials, who wouldn't release any other information. Clinton's lawyer, Shoshana Zisk of San Francisco, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Clinton, 63, who headed the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic — and the collaboration later known as P-Funk — in the 1970s and 1980s is considered a father of the genre. In 1983, Clinton's solo record "Atomic Dog," hit number one on the R&B charts.

Tallahassee Police said an officer noticed a man sitting by himself in the passenger seat of a car in a gas station parking lot about 2 a.m. Saturday and approached to talk to him.

When the officer got to the car, the man, later determined to be Clinton, tried to hide an item he was holding, dropping it between the seats, said Tallahassee Police spokesman Stewart Clendinen.

Clinton started to reach into his pocket and the officer asked him if he had anything in his pocket that might be dangerous, Clendinen said.

Clinton allegedly responded "I've got a little cocaine."

The item he is accused of dropping between the seats turned out be a crack pipe, police said.

Clinton was charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and a misdemeanor count of possession of the pipe, the Tallahassee Democrat first reported for Tuesday papers.

A call to George Clinton Enterprises for comment Monday went unanswered and Clinton's home number is unlisted.

[Vision]

You probably never even heard his music

I saw Clinton in concert at the Warner Theater in DC. It's really not all that IMO.

...even bigger than Elvis and the Beatles

You're nuts

[Skooz]

Parliament-Funkadelic
Kool and the Gang (original incarnation)
Sly and the Family Stone

The Funk Hall of Fame

[the_devils_advocate_666]

First they got the evil Tommy Chong off the streets, now they're taking down George Clinton. See, we are winning the War on Drugs!! [/sarcasm]

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[LisaMalia]

One thing you can say about George Clinton, Parliment, and Bootsy Collins, they never tried to offend anybody-they just wanted to party and have a good time

Babs Streisand and others could take a page from their book!

[mafree]

I love George Clinton and the Funkadelics. Went to college with a brother of one of the guitarists.

[AppyPappy]

Why must the Clinton chase the blow?

[petercooper]

I see "Clinton" and "arrested" in the same sentence and I'm all excited.

Jeeesshhh...

[mitchbert]

What kids today have missed.

You got that right. When I was in high school (late 70's) I was a DJ (mostly weddings and parties) on the weekend, but from time to time I could take a high school dance booking. The first time I opened a show with Flashlight the guys wanted to stone the stage (grew up on Detroit R&R) but then they saw the girls go nuts over it so all was forgiven.

I have a P-Funk greatest hits CD with a more recent version of Atomic Dog with Coolio singing lead. Wild. When you listen to the old stuff it makes you realize that 30 years later the hip hoppers don't even pale in comparison to that band's command of a groove.

[robertpaulsen]

"Let the sky be my sky
Let the moon be my halo
Let me love you upon a canopy
Let me love you on a flower
Let me love you upon a canopy
Let me love you by the hour

Like Dr. Seuss on drugs.

[liberallyconservative]

I met Peanut backstage myself; got invited to go on tour with them for a couple of weeks. I cordially declined.

[PureSolace]

I don't get it? Why do succesful people break the law and use illeagal drugs? Makes no sense to me.

[divagirl]

I know Peanut-he is crazy. I havent seen him touring for a while, I dont know if he is still touring or not....

Listen, I know a bit about this whole drug bust.(trust me). George practically told this officer to search him...he gave up the fact that he had cocaine (crack) on him-he was blatant about it. I really do not feel like it was an illegal search at all. This is what lawyers say to protect their clients to try to get them a lighter sentence..or to have the charges dropped. George will not survive being be locked up-it will kill him (literally, this is my own opinion-and its only worth 2 cents). Its not that I dont want to see George be successful, of course I do. The reality may be that this incident may finally boost him to go into rehab-which is where he has needed to be for years now. I do not know if George will ever be able to walk away from his drug habit, but I really hope that one day he will be strong enough to. I pray for him often.

Its not that I dont think that he is a musical genius---he is!! I will give him credit where credit is due... I want to see George drug-free and healthy-you dont know how badly I would love to see that. I really do not know if it will ever happen and I know that he does not want it to happen. I believe that he thinks that if he quits, it will kill him. He has got a big monkey on his back. George really is a good person and I wish nothing but the very best for him, his mind and his health.

[Ben Bolt]

Yes indeed . His style is what made me look to the bands Yes and Rush .

[Ben Bolt]

I never took to the Funkadelic side but that Parlament album was honestly a damn fine piece of work !