Soul Music Legend Sly Stone is Now Homeless in LA

According to the New York Post, 68-year-old Stone has no money left and has been living in a white van since 2009, parked in the Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles. He told the Post that an older couple feeds him once a day and allows him to shower in their home.

I like my small camper, Stone, known for hits like Everyday People, told the Post. I just do not want to return to a fixed home. I cannot stand being in one place. I must keep moving.

As a legendary funk-soul musician recognized as a pioneer for transforming music throughout late 1960's and early 1970's, Stone said he still records music on a laptop computer from his van.

So how did the man who once lived in a Beverly Hills mansion on Bel Air Road frequented by the likes of Etta James and Stevie Wonder, followed by a vineyard in Napa Valley, end up in a camper parked on the roadside?

His money troubles began, he told the Post, when he sold his music publishing rights to Michael Jackson in 1984 for $1 million. Stone also said he sued his former manager, Jerry Goldstein, for $50 million, for fraud and 20 years of stolen royalties after signing a contract in 1989 to give Goldstein control of his finances.

In addition to some unwise financial decisions, Stone, whose real name is Sylvester Stewart, has long battled with problems stemming from drug addiction. He recalled once spending $2,500 on dope, instead of buying Christmas presents for his young son.

Sly Stone's last known performance was at the 2006 Grammys, where he exited the stage before the end of his tribute song. He released an album earlier this year of re-recorded hits.

Stone, however, keeps the hundreds of new songs he records on his laptop to himself because he fears signing record deals, in addition to his paranoia that hit men and the FBI are after him.