Gallery: George Clinton Lecture

Music as we know it would look a lot different (and less colorful) without the contributions of George Clinton. From his early musical beginnings in doo-wop and as a songwriter at Motown, the hugely prolific Clinton went on to form the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, two of the most important groups of the 1970s.

With Clinton at the helm of their Mothership, they uprooted funk from its earthly origins, sending it into outer space. Having made P-Funk a household name, Clinton went on to build an impressive solo discography, all the while inspiring a legion of West Coast rap artists and holding the reins of a sensational band called the P-Funk All Stars.

As part of the Red Bull Music Academy Festival New York, Clinton sat down on the lecture couch for a rare, intimate chat about his momentous life and career. Click the photo above to enjoy the lecture in full, and check more photo highlights below.