C+C Music Factory was an American musical group formed in 1989 by David Cole and

Robert Clivillés Robert Manuel Clivillés (; born July 30, 1964
from

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", " Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)", " Things That Make You Go Hmmm...", "

Just a Touch of Love ''Just A Touch Of Love'' is the fourth album by the American funk band Slave, released in 1979. It was the band's second album with the vocals of Steve Arrington and Starleana Young. Vocalist Curt Jones joined the band at this time. The album ...

", and "Keep It Comin'". The band stopped recording in 1996, following Cole's death. In 2010, C+C Music Factory reformed with

Eric Kupper Eric Kupper is an American keyboardist, arranger, songwriter, remix artist, DJ, and record producer of French descent. Biography Eric Kupper began playing in bands in his formative years, and got his real start in the mid-1980s working as a keybo ...

replacing Cole. Original member

Freedom Williams Frederick B. Williams (born February 13, 1966), better known by his stage name Freedom Williams, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter, who gained fame as the lead vocalist on C+C Music Factory's biggest hits. Career Born in Brooklyn in 1 ...

acquired trademark rights to the name in 2003 and still tours under that moniker.The Depressing Story of America's Favorite Pump-Up Jam

VICE A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...

(October 4, 2016) C+C Music Factory have earned 35

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

awards, including five ''Billboard'' Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and two

MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...

. In December 2016, ''Billboard'' magazine ranked them as the 44th most successful dance artist of all time.

History

1987–1989: Early beginnings and The 28th Street Crew

David Cole and

Robert Clivillés Robert Manuel Clivillés (; born July 30, 1964
from

In 1987, Clivillés and Cole formed a short-lived

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...

group called

2 Puerto Ricans, a Blackman and a Dominican 2 Puerto Ricans, a Blackman and a Dominican was a short-lived house music group featuring David Morales and Robert Clivillés (Puerto Ricans), David Cole (Black), and Chep Nuñez ( Dominican). In 1987, they scored a hit in dance clubs with thei ...

. The group also included

David Morales David Morales (; born August 21, 1962) is an American disc jockey (DJ) and record producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is also a remixer. David Morales has remixed and produced over 500 releases for artists including Ma ...

(who, like Clivillés, was a resident DJ at Better Days) and

Chep Nuñez Chep Nuñez (1964December 8, 1990Chep Nuñez

2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman And A Dominican

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

In 1989, they released their final single, "Scandalous", before disbanding. Following the breakup of their previous group, Clivillés and Cole continued to record music together under the name

The 28th Street Crew The 28th Street Crew was a short-lived house-music group featuring David Cole and Robert Clivillés, who previously used the alias The Done Properly Posse! In 1989, the group released a single and album (the latter of which was titled ''I Need a ...

. In mid-1989, the duo released an album titled ''I Need a Rhythm''. The album's title track and lead single, peaked at number three on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

's'' Dance chart. In September 1989, female group

Seduction Seduction has multiple meanings. Platonically, it can mean "to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty", or "to lead astray, usually by persuasion or false promises". Strategies of seduction include conversation and sexual scripts, paralingual ...

released their debut album '' Nothing Matters Without Love'', which was entirely produced by Clivillés and Cole. Under the brief management of Clivillés and Cole, the group's album became certified gold-status in the United States.

1989–1993: C+C Music Factory and ''Gonna Make You Sweat''

In 1989, Clivillés and Cole formed a new group known as C+C Music Factory. The group included Clivillés and Cole, in addition to rapper

and

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

n model-turned-singer Zelma Davis. In December 1990, C+C Music Factory released their debut album '' Gonna Make You Sweat'', which peaked at number two on ''

's'' Top 200 Albums chart.C+C Music Factory , Billboard Chart History
. Billboard. Retrieved on February 1, 2019 The album's lead single, " Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)", which featured rap vocals by Freedom Williams and uncredited lead vocals by Martha Wash, became an international hit and peaked at number one on ''Billboards

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

. The single went on to sell over a million copies in the United States, becoming certified platinum-status. Additionally, the single became number-one in five other countries. The success of the single also bolstered its parent album's sales, helping it achieve multi-platinum status for sales exceeding five million copies in the United States."C&C Music Factory" searchable database
RIAA. Retrieved on April 19, 2019 In 1991, the group released two top-ten singles, " Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)" and " Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." (inspired by a phrase uttered periodically by late-night talk show host Arsenio Hall), both of which became certified gold-status in the United States. In August 1991, the album's final single, "

", was released and earned the group their fourth number-one dance hit. The song was also featured on the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

of the

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

'' Sister Act''. In the same year, C+C Music Factory embarked on their first international tour. During certain legs of the tour,

Deborah Cooper Deborah Cooper is an American professional dancer, musician, singer,backup singer, award-winning composer and entertainer, with several number one and top charting dance music and house music hits. Biography Early career Cooper started as a f ...

, a backing vocalist from their album, was hired as a lead vocalist for specific concert venues as Zelma Davis was awaiting green card clearance. In 1992, the group released the single " Keep It Comin' (Dance Till You Can't Dance No More)", featuring Cooper and rapper

Q-Unique Anthony Quiles (born June 27, 1972), better known by his stage name Q-Unique, is an American rapper, record producer and a member of rap group Arsonists and the hard rock band StillWell. He also contributed vocals for dance/hip-hop group C+C M ...

on vocals. The single became their fifth song to top the ''Billboard'' dance chart. The song was also featured on the soundtrack of the

comedy horror Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary genre, literary, television genre, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three ty ...

film ''

Buffy the Vampire Slayer ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...

''. By the end of 1992, the group had earned a total of four American Music Awards, including an award for "Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group".Winners Database, American Music Awards
American Music Awards. Retrieved on June 11, 2017

1994–1996: Subsequent releases and hiatus

In 1994, C+C Music Factory experienced a lineup change. Wash, who had just settled a lawsuit with the group, was asked to join as a full-time vocalist. Williams left the group to pursue a solo career and was replaced by the vocal trio

Trilogy A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games, and are less common in other art forms. Three-part wor ...

. In August 1994, the group released their second album, titled '' Anything Goes!'', which performed poorly on the Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart. The lead single, " Do You Wanna Get Funky", which featured vocals from Davis, Wash, and Trilogy, became a success on the Billboard charts and earned the group their sixth number-one dance hit. The album also featured two minor hits, "Take a Toke" and "I Found Love". On 24 January 1995, David Cole died from

spinal meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or a ...

. Despite the death of one of their core members, C+C Music Factory embarked on another international tour. In November 1995, they released their self-titled third album. The record was released by Robert Clivillés using the C+C Music Factory name, though it did not feature any musical contributions from Cole, Davis, or Wash, but retained the vocal contributions of Trilogy. The album's lead single, "I'll Always Be Around", became their seventh number-one dance hit. The second single, "Don't Stop the Remix", was the group's final release before disbanding. In October 1996, Clivillés released an album of new material under the name Robi-Rob's Clubworld. That same year, a compilation album titled ''Robi Rob's Clubworld – House of Sound presents Clubworld Shut Up and Dance'' was released exclusively in Japan. The album contains past singles and unreleased material recorded by C+C Music Factory.

2010–2011: Comeback

C+C Music Factory reformed in 2010 with

replacing Cole. They released the song "Live Your Life", which featured singer

Scarlett Santana Scarlett Santana (born Jasmine Mercedes on May 31, 1988) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, spoken word poet, dancer, and actress of Puerto Rican descent. She made her musical debut with the worldwide smash pop group C+C Music Factory. ...

, in early 2010, on a Bill Coleman's Remixxer Compilation album.Remixxer: Bill Coleman (Continuous Mix)

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

(June 01, 2010) In August 2011, Santana released the single "Rain", which was produced by C+C Music Factory (composed of Clivillés and Kupper credited as "CnC Music Factory").

Legacy

As of 1995, C+C Music Factory have accumulated a total of seven number-one dance songs. " Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" was included in the top-ten VH1's "100 Greatest Dance Songs". In 2003, Freedom Williams acquired the federal trademark to use the name "C and C Music Factory" for live performances. Williams toured under that name until renewing his trademark to "C & C Music Factory" in 2014. As of 2014, Williams has owned the trademark rights for the name for all related efforts, not just live performances. Founding producer Clivillés has labeled this "the biggest insult in the world".

Lawsuits

In 1990, The Crew, a group composed of Clivillés, Cole, and Freedom Williams, released the single "Get Dumb! (Free Your Body)". The song featured an unauthorized sample of

Boyd Jarvis Boyd H. Jarvis (October 26, 1958 – February 17, 2018) was an American record producer, remixer and musician, best known for his song, co-written with Jason Smith, "The Music Got Me"; released in 1983 by Prelude Records. He has collaborated wit ...

' 1983 song "The Music Got Me". Jarvis filed a lawsuit against Cole and Clivillés as well as A&M Records.Jarvis v. A & M Records 827 F. Supp. 282 (D.N.J. 1993
UCLA
The court ruled in favor of Jarvis. Following the release of "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" in November 1990, C+C Music Factory was hit with a lawsuit by Martha Wash, whose vocals were uncredited on the chorus. The song used an edited compilation of vocal parts that Wash recorded in June 1990 for an unrelated demo tape. After discovering that the group was using Zelma Davis in the music video, Wash attempted to negotiate with Clivillés and Cole for sleeve credits and royalties, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. On 11 December 1991, Wash filed a lawsuit in the

Los Angeles Superior Court The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, is the California superior court with jurisdiction over Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles. It is the largest single unified trial court in the United States. The ...

against Robert Clivillés and David Cole, charging the producers and their record company,

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

, with fraud, deceptive packaging, and commercial appropriation. The case was eventually settled in 1994 and as a result of the settlement, Sony made an unprecedented request to

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

to add a disclaimer that credited Wash for vocals and Zelma Davis (who lip-synched Wash's vocals in the official music video) for "visualization" to the "Gonna Make You Sweat" music video.Martha Wash: The Most Famous Unknown Singer of the '90s Speaks Out
Rolling Stone. Retrieved on May 17, 2017

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Singles

Notes

Notes * A ^"

I Found Love "I Found Love" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. The song was released as a promotional single only in Japan as a double-A-side with "Every Shade of Blue". Background The instrumental track was composed by Japanese dance p ...

" and "Take a Toke" were released as a

double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

in the UK, charting at number 26 in February 1995.

References

External links

C+C Music Factory at Discogs.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:C and C Music Factory American house music groups American dance music groups Musical groups established in 1989 A&M Records artists Columbia Records artists MCA Records artists PolyGram artists Sony Music artists el:Ντέιβιντ Κολ