September 26th, 2011
07:08 PM ET
Funk legend Sly Stone living in a vanSadly, Sly Stone, one of the fathers of funk music, is now homeless and living out of a van in Los Angeles, the New York Post reports. The man behind Sly and the Family Stone calls a white van home these days. The 68-year-old’s fortune ran out thanks to financial mismanagement, substance abuse and a lavish lifestyle, he tells the paper. The singer has accused his manager, Jerry Goldstein, of stealing his royalty payments, and sued him for fraud last year.
In 2009, Stone was forced to move into a van, and while he says he doesn’t “want to return to a fixed home,” he does want to make money and put his financial nightmare behind him. “But now please tell everybody, please, to give me a job, play my music,” he says in the interview. “I’m tired of all this s--, man.” Sly released an album of hits rerecorded with other artists earlier this year, and notes that he has new songs ready for release. “But, with new energy, it will feel good to step on stage,” he says. “I see all the guys playing those old songs," he continues. "Let these guys know, like Lady Gaga, let me come in, just let me come in and pay me if you like it.”
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You can certainly see your skills in the work you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. All the time follow your heart.
Hey check out a One-Take of the Funk Band" Big Sam's Funky Nation" at: http://culturecatch.com/vidcast/big-sams-funky-nation
this friday 14th October sly releases his new song: SATISFIED on slystonenow dot com, are you ready? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5k4e6wSAWE
He's a junkie.
He got what he deserves.
What a shame. This guy was Awesome. Hot fun in the summertime is one of my all time favorite songs! Wake up Sly. Crack kills, man.
You're right he deserves every dam penny dime in this case 5 million that no talent bunch of crooks lazy lying up on what he's done as a talented man who is one of the worlds greatest artist of all times. These leaches need to go to work stop leaching off others.
Whatever. Btw I hate jewz too.
Retards are cool.
You know your in trouble when your agents name is Jerry Goldstein.And who would think a huge investment in CRACK could go south on you.
Yeah cuz he's a juuuuuuuuuuuuuu!
God will take care of things in time. You will not go out or down! You are still one of my favorites. I would come to see you almost each time you came to DC/MD! Keep your head to the sky as Earth Wind and Fire says. Lot of love and good wishes.
Sadly, Sly is not the only one who "calls a white van home":
http://michaelfury.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/as-the-crow-flies/
@Bieberloser it's I Wanna Take You Higher.
He took the lyrics "Let me take you higher" a bit too seriously
In a van, what is wrong with that! He does have cover and keep warm. Sleeping in a van not in the river!!!!! God bless him and his choice!
One thing Sly should know is Meatloaf went bust, Burt Reynolds went bust, Henry Ford went bust, and all of these guys, except Sly made it back. Sly, look at these people, they busted, but they still owned the franchise, get out and start working brother, that is what they did, and they all made it back. It all started with good managment and publicists, we have a huge country full of these people, you can be on top of the world again, but go to work.
So Sly has a computer in his van & is reading all of this? Damn that's one fly Sly van.....
@Homeless Lady American Libraries aren't opened 'til later and I don't believe any shelter would give access for you to use a computer this early so go back playing with yourself troll.
No need to be so mean.
Mickey sounds like a f*ggit name, Bet u troll 2 trying to be superior. STFU!
I think homeless lady's comment about living in a box hit home. Mickey it's good you don't live in a box anymore. Lol
Papa was a rolling stone, where ever he laid his hat was his home. And when he died, all he left us was alone.
Awe, that's sad. I know, let's give him a reality show, pay him tons of money so he can go back to buying drugs, crack, and alcohol. I suppose he must have been unaware that the name "Goldstein" is, well, you get it.
You mean "lawyer", right? That's what I thought you meant, schmuck.
Well atleast he got a van, he's lucky to have that. I'm barely making it in my cardboard box. And he wants to wine about living in a van?
But you have a computer?!!?
Yes when I'm at the library.
Or the shelter.
As Bill Cosby said many years ago.."Lots of entertainers are all about show and no business. You must know how to handle your business if you want to be successful. Unfortunately, this is a sad commentary for a lot of Black entertainers. I wish him well, but he did it to himself. This only goes to show you...education is the key to prosperity!
Poor Sly. Yes the man did his share of drugs but he also got "took", hand over fist, by record companies, sampling, etc. There is no SS, 401K of health insurance in show business like most jobs. Life and money catches up with you. Sly's a good man, with good friends who do their best to help whenever possible.
In his defense he probably got signed to a slave deal by record execs like everyone back in the day and didn't have nearly as much personal cash as you'd imagine.
These entertainers make a TON of money then spend it on drugs, gambling and a bunch of other crap. He was blessed with a talent and he chose to waste it. I'm not a hater but enough is enough.
Regular folks are struggling to make it. No sympathy for the idiots.
And don't forget, he also spent it on cheap women.
Idstep. You are speaking of a world to which you have no knowledge. Many entertainers from Sly's era were managed poorly, taken advantage of, given some money to appear to live a luxurious lifestlye and all the while other's are making money off of their talents. Do some research or better yet, take a Music History class.
hey tim. its doesnt take a degree to figure out that sly made the deals and now must live with them. if he would have had a lawyer taking care of his contracts and an accountant managing his funds im sure he would be in a lot better position in life. read the story, the facts are he pis*** it all away. you can scream the manager fuc*** me but at the end of the day, you are responsible for your own business period.
Cocaine's a hell of a drug!
Sly, I hope you land back on your feet. Get back with Larry Graham and the others and go on tour!! "Everybody is a Star" is my favorite song. Stay strong!!
If he'd lay down the pipe he might not be homeless.
I can't believe he is living in a van down by a river.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love it.
LOL too.
D*mn man I've been thinking about lately wondering how you were,I guess not as well as I expected.As you said a lotta cats been living it up thanks to some of your joints,keep your head up now that more of us know about you it's gonna get better.Can't wait to see your big smile on stage again,God bless
That's what Social Security is for. That's why SS should not be connected with Wall Street.