Refusing all boundaries like they were hippies or something, Funkadelic threatened ­nightly to “pee in your Afro,” while sporting wizard gear, Klan outfits, bedsheets, butt-flapped long johns and diapers. Mad Jimi–Hendrix–guitar–yowled “rock.” Retarded, bass-heavy beats anchored a low-down, weirdly futuristic funk. Stoned proto-raps and acid-fried post-doo-wop located their voice deep inside ghetto culture. Spawned in sub-Newark Plainfield, New Jersey, come to life in sub–Motown Detroit, Funkadelic were the dark side of George Clinton’s ongoing Parliament-Funkadelic franchise. Their 12 studio albums constitute barely a third of P-Funk’s insanely varied output. Old-school hip-hoppers sampled them as much as they did James Brown. They are a direct source of­ Prince, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dr. Dre’s G-funk.

Essential
Funkadelic, Let's Take It To The Stage
Funkadelic, One Nation Under a Groove
Funkadelic, Motor City Madness

Great
Funkadelic, Maggot Brain
Funkadelic, Harcore Jollies
Funkadelic, The Electric Spanking of War Babies

Check It Out
Funkadelic, Funkadelic
Funkadelic, Cosmic Slop
Funkadelic, Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
Funkadelic, Uncle Jam Wants You

Be Careful
Funkadelic, Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow
Funkadelic, Tales of Kidd Funkadelic
Funkadelic, Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan: 12th September 1971

For Fans Only
Funkadelic, America Eats Its Young
Eddie Hazel, Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs
Funkadelic, By Way of the Drum