George Clinton, Black Eyed Peas Settle 2010 Lawsuit

LOS ANGELES — George Clinton and the Black Eyed Peas have settled a lawsuit in which the funk pioneer accused the pop group of using his music without proper permission.

The settlement was reached after mediation and was reported to a federal judge on Monday, records show. The judge has canceled an upcoming trial as attorneys work to finalize settlement documents, and no further details were provided.

Clinton sued the Peas in December 2010, claiming the group used elements of his 1979 song "(Not Just) Knee Deep" in remixes of their international hit "Shut Up." The song first appeared on the group's 2003 album "Elephunk," and it released "Shut Up Remix" the same year. It also was used in another remix included on the deluxe edition of the Peas' 2009 release, "The E.N.D.," according to Clinton's lawsuit.

A judge limited the damages Clinton could recoup in a ruling earlier this month, stating the musician hadn't shown how much he lost or how much the Peas and Universal profited from using Clinton's music.

Calls to attorneys for Clinton, members of the Black Eyed Peas and Universal Music Group were not immediately returned.

The group and its label, Universal Music Group, claimed they licensed the music, but Clinton says he never granted permission. He claimed producers tried to license "(Not Just) Knee Deep" in 2009, but he refused. Clinton alleged his signature was forged on a release form later provided to his attorneys and that he has never been paid royalties on the remixes.

The musician previously obtained the rights to his music after suing his label in federal court.

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at . http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

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Comments

[OooZzzzz]

10:58 AM on 05/21/2012

George Clnton should be receiving millions in royalties annually just on his sampled music alone from all the hip hop and rap artists who have ripped off and stolen the hard work, dedication and creativiity of the ultimate funkateer Clinton and many other artists like the late James Brown and Clinton's partner in crime Bootsy Collins who complete the inner circle of funk music since James Brown was the first; recruited Bootsy to play with his band "The JB's" who honed his musical craft under James Brown's wing that he took directly to Clinton who both master minded "P-Funk" (Parliament, Funkadelic & Bootsy's Rubber Band) that directly gave birth to the sounds and sampled beats of rap and hip hop music.

Hundreds of of thousands of rap and hip hop songs since it's inception and those three superstars are heavy in rap/hip hop's total music foundation and influence.

Each and every rap and hip hop artist are heavily indebted and should write a hefty check to each to these three lords of funk that made it possible for all rap and hip hop artists to make life easy for them all without much creative thought or process; just take a seat in the studio and sample track after track from these three Rock & Roll Hall Of Famers to create rap/hip hop music.

[Tawny Rabon]

07:42 PM on 05/20/2012

He deserves it, he worked hard to put it on the map so he deserves to live just as good as anyone else would live off of it, Congradulations George C, may God bless your talented soul.

[Denmark Vesey]

07:32 PM on 05/19/2012

Way to go G Clinton. Many artist today would rather sample (steal) creativity, than create something unique on their own. One Nation Under a Groove !

[Topps]

12:23 PM on 05/19/2012

Good for George !

[exec utivegifts]

03:50 AM on 05/19/2012

George Clinton should get royalties from a good bit of the music, out there, as his style help mold much of the music as it is today. Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins Band helped set some roots for today and made Gaga's outfits a bit tame. Black Eyed Peas should be thanking him and providing a gift of thanks, as the judge chose as he did.