George Clinton (July 12, 2001) Paradigm  CD‑R Single

GlamSlamEscape
Jul 12, 2001
1 min read

Release: Paradigm – CD‑R Single Date: July 12 2001 Country: The Netherlands Venue: Paradiso, Amsterdam Label: None (Independent CD‑R release) Recording Studios: Paisley Park Studios & DARP Studios

This rare single was sold exclusively at George Clinton’s live shows beginning 12 July 2001 at the Paradiso in Amsterdam.

Issued only as a CD‑R with no commercial artwork, it featured the track “Paradigm”, co‑written and co‑produced by Prince (credited under O(+>).

Both artists appear on the recording, with Clinton providing lyrics and vocals and Prince handling instrumentation and additional vocals.

The collaboration was born from mutual admiration and creative exchange.

Clinton famously described the process: “I peed on it, sent it to him, he peed on it, and sent it back.” The track was recorded between Paisley Park and DARP Studios, blending Clinton’s funk grit with Prince’s sleek Minneapolis groove.

A limited number of discs were produced for sale at the Amsterdam show, followed by a small run at the Montreux Jazz Festival later that summer.

The song later resurfaced on Clinton’s Sneak Peek EP and the album How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent? (2005).

Around that time, a French promotional CD appeared, credited to George Clinton featuring Prince, containing a unique radio edit unavailable elsewhere.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

Paradigm stands as one of the most unusual Prince‑related releases of the early 2000s — a spontaneous, uncommercial exchange between two funk visionaries.

Its limited distribution and informal packaging make it a prized item among collectors, symbolizing the creative freedom both artists shared at the time.

SOURCES

Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia. BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault.

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