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C+C Music Factory was an American musical group formed in 1989 by David Cole and Robert Clivillés. The group is best known for their five hit singles: "
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" is a hit song by C+C Music Factory. It was released in late 1990 as the debut and lead single from their first album, ''Gonna Make You Sweat'' (1990). The song is sung by singer Martha Wash and rapper ...
", "
Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll) "Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)" is a song by American dance music group C+C Music Factory, released on March 3, 1991 as the second single from their debut album, ''Gonna Make You Sweat'' (1990). The song was a success in the US, reaching number ...
", " Things That Make You Go Hmmm...", " Just a Touch of Love", 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 t ...
(October 4, 2016)
C+C Music Factory have earned 35 music industry awards, including five ''Billboard'' Music Awards, five
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
, and two MTV Video Music Awards. 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 became friends when they both performed at the Better Days club (Clivillés as DJ and Cole as keyboardist) in the late 1980s. In 1987, Clivillés and Cole formed a short-lived house music 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 ...
(who, like Clivillés, was a resident DJ at Better Days) and Chep Nuñez. They released two minor hit singles, "Do It Properly" (1987) and "So Many Ways (Do It Properly Part II)" (1988).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 ...
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'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
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 ...
and Liberian model-turned-singer
Zelma Davis Zelma Davis (born August 2, 1970) is a Liberian-born American singer-songwriter. She is primarily known for her number-one dance hits "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." and "Just a Touch of Love" with C+C Music Factory. She has won four American ...
. In December 1990, C+C Music Factory released their debut album '' Gonna Make You Sweat'', which peaked at number two on '' Billboard'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) "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" is a hit song by C+C Music Factory. It was released in late 1990 as the debut and lead single from their first album, ''Gonna Make You Sweat'' (1990). The song is sung by singer Martha Wash and rapper ...
", which featured rap vocals by Freedom Williams and uncredited lead vocals by
Martha Wash Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the Two Tons O' Fun, who sang backing vocals for the disco si ...
, became an international hit and peaked at number one on ''Billboards Hot 100. 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) "Here We Go (Let's Rock & Roll)" is a song by American dance music group C+C Music Factory, released on March 3, 1991 as the second single from their debut album, ''Gonna Make You Sweat'' (1990). The song was a success in the US, reaching number ...
" and " Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." (inspired by a phrase uttered periodically by late-night talk show host
Arsenio Hall Arsenio Hall (born February 12, 1956) is an American comedian, actor and talk show host. He hosted the late-night talk show, ''The Arsenio Hall Show'', from 1989 until 1994, and again from 2013 to 2014. He has appeared in ''Martial Law'', '' Com ...
), both of which became certified gold-status in the United States. In August 1991, the album's final single, " Just a Touch of Love", 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 ...
of the musical
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 ''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. I ...
''. 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 Mu ...
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 film '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. By the end of 1992, the group had earned a total of four
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
, 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 o ...
. 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
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. They released the song "Live Your Life", which featured singer Scarlett Santana, in early 2010, on a Bill Coleman's Remixxer Compilation album.Remixxer: Bill Coleman (Continuous Mix)
iTunes (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) "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" is a hit song by C+C Music Factory. It was released in late 1990 as the debut and lead single from their first album, ''Gonna Make You Sweat'' (1990). The song is sung by singer Martha Wash and rapper ...
" 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 wi ...
' 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 Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the Two Tons O' Fun, who sang backing vocals for the disco si ...
, 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 Zelma Davis (born August 2, 1970) is a Liberian-born American singer-songwriter. She is primarily known for her number-one dance hits "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..." and "Just a Touch of Love" with C+C Music Factory. She has won four American ...
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 Entertainmen ...
, 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 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" and "Take a Toke" were released as a double A-side in the UK, charting at number 26 in February 1995.


See also

*
Clivillés and Cole Robert Clivillés (born July 30, 1964) and David Cole (1962–1995), known collectively as Clivillés and Cole, were American record producers, songwriters, and remixers active from the late 1980s who achieved success in the 1990s. Career Begin ...
*
List of number-one hits (United States) This is a list of songs that have peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the magazine's national singles charts that preceded it. Introduced in 1958, the Hot 100 is the pre-eminent singles chart in the United States, currently mon ...
* List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.) *
List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States) This is a list of number-one dance hits as recorded by '' Billboard'' magazine's Dance Club Songs chart – a weekly national survey of popular songs in U.S. dance clubs. It began on October 26, 1974, under the title ''Disco Action'' chart. It is ...
*
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard magazine's'' Dance Club Songs chart. ''Billboard'' began ranking dance music on the week ending October 26, 1974, and this is the standard music popularity chart in th ...
*
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...


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