Latest news with #ParliamentFunkadelic
Axios
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Detroit music icon Amp Fiddler remembered with street sign
Joseph Anthony "Amp" Fiddler, a revered Detroit icon who collaborated with Prince, Parliament Funkadelic and others, now has a street named after him. The big picture: The city is commemorating the legacy of Fiddler, a musician and producer across jazz, funk, soul, rock and hip-hop who mentored local legend J Dilla. He died in 2023 from cancer at age 65. The latest: Detroit unveiled Amp Fiddler Avenue on Friday at 7 Mile and Revere Ave. in Conant Gardens, where Fiddler grew up and began his career. May 16, the musician's birthday, is now Amp Fiddler Day. The alternatingly somber and joyful celebration starred musicians who knew Fiddler, government officials including U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, academics and Fiddler's wife, Tombi Stewart-Fiddler. What they're saying:"(Fiddler was) for many of us the very pulse of the block, the very pulse of Detroit," music media personality Chris Campbell said at the event. "Artists from all around the world came to his door. They left better, whether it was making beats, producing," Campbell said. "Amp gave you his time, he gave you his knowledge. But most of all, Amp gave you his love." Flashback: Fiddler started learning the piano as a kid and studied music in high school and college, said council member Scott Benson, a P-Funk fan who read a short biography of Fiddler's life during the event. Fiddler worked with greats, as well as conducting his own solo career — one speaker shouted out his song " Possibilities." He was known for his personal style, once landing a gig off the street because he was recognized for it, per the Metro Times. Mentoring was a quintessential part of his life, Benson said. Fiddler nurtured the careers of many local artists who went on to success, like Waajeed and Urban Art Orchestra's De'Sean Jones. Fiddler taught J Dilla how to use an MPC, a key piece of equipment in hip-hop and electronic music. And he made an introduction that helped launch J Dilla's career — to Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. Zoom out: Dozens of streets spanning the city have been given secondary names to honor Detroiters.
The Star
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Desaru Coast's Ombak Festival 2025 to put spotlight on Asean
Malaysia's popular integrated destination resort Desaru Coast in Johor is set to host another major entertainment event this September – Ombak Festival. Following its successful debut last year, Ombak Festival 2025 will again see numerous activities, exhibits, performances and curated dining events being held over a three-day weekend in September. This time around, there will be a spotlight on South-East Asian artistes, performers and vendors, to go with Malaysia's current Asean chairmanship. You can expect to see some Asean-themed family-friendly experiences like traditional games, puppeteering, art workshops and food tastings. 'For our second year, building on our intentionally diverse ethos, we are going bolder in vision, broader in scope and bursting with South-East Asian soul. 'The play this year is to intrepidly represent the best of Asean by uniting global icons with regional talents to stage an unparalleled experience of live music, taste explorations, and artistic expression in one ultimate weekend,' said Karina Ridzuan, director of Ombak Festival, in a press release. Aside from the regional selections, there are also plenty of international features. On the entertainment section, for example, headliners include British artistes Simply Red and Joss Stone, US group George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and Australian electronic duo Flight Facilities. George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic wants to party with you. Asean artistes who will also perform on the main stage include Thai singer Phum Viphurit, Singapore's The Pinholes and Keyana, Cambodia's Vanthan, Indonesia's Tanayu, and of course, Malaysia's own Joe Flizzow, Gerhana Skacinta, LZZY, Golden Mammoth, and SonaOne and Ismail Izzani. So far, there are 29 regional music talents featured at the festival; more will be announced in the months to come. Meanwhile, the curated gourmet experiences includes 'Smoke & Fire' by Malaysia's own grill expert Carbon KL, 'Flavours Of Johor', and 'Tapas & Grill' by Sazon, well-known chef Andrew Walsh's latest venture in Bali, Indonesia. In the arts section, there will be upcycling workshops by Pulau Pulao, a block printing project by Segaris Art Centre and a bazaar curated by the popular lifestyle pop-up initiative, Pasar Seloka. There's also a mahjong 'session' called All Tiled Up, where guests can learn how to play the traditional tile game from experts. Of course, this experience is strictly for educational purposes only. Folks who plan to bring their children to the festival can check out the Ombak Kids schedule, where loads of kid-friendly activities will be held. Some of them include Go Fly Kites, super-sized Mereka Games, Funfair Of Forgotten Futures, and a Legoland Speed Building Challenge. The delightful giant puppets Meera & Fiz will also make their return to the festival. Soul singer Joss Stone's new album is slated for a release sometime this year. She will be performing on the main stage on the final day. 'Ombak Festival 2025 is set to deliver another year of extraordinary experiences in our intimate coastal setting. Driving our ambition is the vision to establish the event as South-East Asia's must-attend festival, setting the stage as we build momentum towards Visit Johor and Visit Malaysia 2026. 'None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the state authorities and the communities across the greater Desaru region, whose collaboration was instrumental in bringing Ombak Festival to life,' said Karina in the press release. The festival, presented by Desaru Coast, will be held from Sept 12 to 14. Early bird passes are now available from or Ticketmelon ( There are single, two-day and three-day passes, with prices ranging between RM200 and RM650. Children aged 13 and above must have their own tickets. The festival schedule can also be found on the website, as well as a list of rules and regulations, and other helpful tips. Australian DJ duo Flight Facilities will make its long-awaited Malaysian debut at Ombak Festival. Travel notes How to get there: If you're travelling from anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia, you can drive all the way to Desaru Coast; the drive will take a minimum of four hours from the Klang Valley. Otherwise, fly into the Senai International Airport, and then book a taxi or rideshare service to Desaru Coast. If you are travelling from Singapore, make your way to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and take a 90-minute ferry ride straight to the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal. Where to stay: There are three 5-star resorts within Desaru Coast (Hard Rock Hotel, The Westin, and Anantara Resort & Villas), and Ombak Festival will be held across these properties. Festivalgoers who choose to stay at any of the resorts may get special discounts and/or privileges, so do check their official websites to find out more. There are also plenty of hotels available within a 1km radius – it may be possible to arrange for shuttle services from your accommodation to the festival venue.
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
P-Funk Legend George Clinton And Wiz Khalifa Bring The Funk To Weed: Here's What That Means
Wiz Khalifa and George Clinton at the concert celebrating the premiere of "Spinning Gold" held at ... More Avalon on March 29, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images) Variety via Getty Images George Clinton, the visionary bandleader behind Parliament-Funkadelic and a pioneer of psychedelic funk, has spent six decades reshaping the boundaries of music, culture and consciousness. Now, at 83, he's entering an industry he's long championed from the sidelines: cannabis. Clinton recently launched The Funk, a new cannabis brand created in partnership with Wiz Khalifa's Khalifa Kush, at a time when the U.S. market is projected to generate over $35.3 billion in legal sales in 2025 . The product debuted at Planet 13, the 112,000-square-foot Las Vegas dispensary that has become a launchpad for celebrity brands and immersive cannabis experiences. And while dozens of entertainers have entered the space in recent years, Clinton arrives with a different kind of credibility. His relationship with cannabis dates back to the early 1960s—long before legalization—and has been inseparable from his music, worldview and public identity. 'I wanted it to match the music,' Clinton said in an exclusive interview. 'When you sit down, put on something funky and get your head right, you should think of The Funk.' Clinton's history with cannabis began in the days of Acapulco Gold and unregulated Northern California grows. 'In the early '60s, it was all about whatever you could get,' he said. 'But it was always for the mind. That part never changed.' Forbes Carmelo Anthony's Cannabis Mission Comes Home: 'I Know The Door I Hold Open' By Javier Hasse From doo-wop and Motown to the cosmic theatrics of Funkadelic, Clinton says cannabis was a constant presence; not just as a social lubricant but as creative fuel. 'We stayed lit to do all those albums,' he said. 'That was the atmosphere. It was part of the process.' That process, he explains, wasn't about escape. It was about alignment—tuning into something deeper. Even before formal medical research caught up, Clinton says musicians intuitively understood the plant's power. 'I heard about the medical side back in the '60s. Stress, anxiety, chilling out—we knew,' he said. 'But America made more money pretending to stop it than selling it.' He's blunt about the politics that kept cannabis underground: a mix of control, stigma and pharmaceutical interests. 'They sell you all kinds of drugs you can't pronounce, then give you another one to get off the first one,' he said. 'Cannabis could've handled a lot of it, if they'd just let it.' The Funk: From Studio To Shelf Building on that personal legacy, Clinton's new cannabis line is more than a co-branded product: it's an extension of his artistic vision. The Funk launched with infused pre-rolls that combine Motorbreath flower and Daily Grape live resin, designed to deliver a heavy, unmistakable flavor profile. 'I wanted uncut funk,' Clinton said. 'The kind of stuff you light up and it tells you a story.' The name, The Funk, nods to Clinton's lifelong mythology, but also references a track by his granddaughter titled 'Something Stank (And I Want Some)'—a generational echo that ties scent and sound together. The packaging draws from his signature cosmic visuals, echoed in a custom shoe collaboration with John Fluevog. Clinton credits his wife with pushing the collaboration forward. 'She made sure we got it done,' he said. Forbes Ice-T Says He Doesn't Get High—So Why Did He Open A Cannabis Dispensary With A Playboy Playmate? By Javier Hasse Clinton saw Planet 13, the massive Las Vegas dispensary where The Funk debuted, as more than just a storefront. 'It felt like the right place to lift off,' he said. The infused pre-roll format is a strategic choice. In California, infused joints now account for more than 66% of all pre-roll sales, according to RollPros and BDSA data . Market leaders like Jeeter and STIIIZY have turned infused pre-rolls into high-volume, high-margin products—with Jeeter alone generating $26.7 million in California sales in a single quarter. Clinton and Khalifa are betting that authenticity—and funk—can carve out space in a category that's no longer an afterthought but the main event. Industry, Equity And The Long Road To Legalization Clinton is not trying to become a cannabis policy advocate, but he has plenty to say about the contradictions he's seen. 'I'm not the one to stand in front of Congress and try to convince anybody,' he said. 'They'll just know I like it.' For him, cannabis reform in the U.S. hasn't been about justice; it's been about economics. Institutions that once punished cannabis culture now profit from it. And the communities that built that culture are still waiting for equity. According to the ACLU , Black Americans remain nearly four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis-related offenses than white Americans, despite similar usage rates. Meanwhile, the legal industry remains disproportionately white and male. Forbes Why Ice Cube Ditched Alcohol—And Built A Cannabis Brand Instead: 'Once I Found Good Weed, That Was It' By Javier Hasse Clinton doesn't offer a policy roadmap, but he's clear about who belongs at the table: artists, legacy growers and anyone who helped normalize cannabis long before tax revenue justified it. 'Cannabis has always been good,' he said. 'They just finally figured out how to profit off of it without getting in trouble.' Music, Memory And A Multi-Generational Legacy Clinton's entry into cannabis isn't a pivot; it's a natural continuation of the universe he's built over decades. From Parliament's space-age funk to the psychedelic undercurrents of Funkadelic, cannabis has always been part of the sound, not a side note. Now, that legacy is being carried forward. Clinton is on tour with his children and grandchildren, celebrating the 50th anniversary of landmark albums—and passing the torch in real time. The Funk, too, reflects that handoff: its name is partly inspired by a track from Clinton's granddaughter and its packaging echoes the cosmic visuals that defined his mythos. Meanwhile, a biopic directed by Eddie Murphy is in the works. Clinton doesn't know which parts of his story will make the cut, but he's confident the right ones will. Forbes Inside Snoop Dogg's 7-Brand Cannabis Beverage Empire: 'I'm Giving People Choices…You Sip, You Feel It, Nice And Easy' By Javier Hasse 'We weren't trying to top the charts. We were building characters people would want to talk about later,' he said. With The Funk, he's adding one more chapter to that mythology. This time, in smoke. A Brand Built On Legacy, Not Hype Celebrity cannabis brands are everywhere. What makes The Funk different is its source material: a lifetime lived inside the culture, not around it. Clinton didn't enter the space for trend points. He's been here. And in a crowded market chasing volume and shelf space, The Funk leans into what made weed sacred in the first place: taste, timing, feel. He's not chasing politics or influence. He's just doing what he's always done: building worlds you can step into. As for the name—and the smell—Clinton put it simply: 'Something's stankin'—and they want some.'
