P-Funk Pop
tagStarted 1975Peak 1976-1982Last big hit still active
The poppier, hook-driven edge of George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic universe: monster Bootsy Collins basslines, swampy clavinet and synth, blaring horns, group chants, and cosmic, cartoonish lyrics. Heavy, psychedelic, and gleefully weird, yet built on irresistible singalong refrains that pushed sprawling jams onto the pop and R&B charts.
History
Forged by George Clinton's interlocking Parliament and Funkadelic collectives in mid-70s Detroit, P-Funk peaked with Parliament's 'Mothership Connection' (1975) and its chart hits. Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and the horn section defined the sound; its grooves became the most-sampled foundation of hip-hop and G-funk decades later.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker) — ParliamentSpotifyYouTube
- Flash Light — ParliamentSpotifyYouTube
- One Nation Under a Groove — FunkadelicSpotifyYouTube
- Atomic Dog — George ClintonSpotifyYouTube
- Bootzilla — Bootsy's Rubber BandSpotifyYouTube
- Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop) — ParliamentSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament-Funkadelic
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-Funk
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/parliament-mn0000093967