C+C Music Factory, formed in 1989 in New York City by David Cole and Robert Clivillés, pioneered an infectious blend of house, hip hop, and pop. Known for hits like "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," they earned 35 awards, including five American Music Awards. Their influential sound featured vocalists such as Freedom Williams and Martha Wash.
Montell Jordan is an R&B singer-songwriter known for the breakout new jack swing hit This Is How We Do It, which topped the Hot 100 for seven weeks. A Grammy-nominated artist, he’s released seven studio albums and sold over 10 million records worldwide.
Exposé is an American dance-pop and freestyle girl group formed in the mid-1980s by Ann Curless, Jeanette Jurado, and Gioia Bruno. They made history as the first group with four Billboard top-ten hits from a debut album, including Exposure and the chart-topper Seasons Change.
Born in New York's Hell Kitchen, Lisa Velez led the 1980s group Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. Produced by Full Force, she pioneered freestyle music with hits like I Wonder If I Take You Home. She became the first Puerto Rican artist to top pop and R&B charts with multi-platinum albums.
The Mary Jane Girls, formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by Rick James, were an R&B, soul, and funk group. Known for their glamorous image, soulful harmonies, and infectious grooves, they delivered hits like "In My House," "All Night Long," and "Candy Man." They earned a gold album with "Only Four You" and were inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2019. Their sound has been sampled by numerous artists.
Atlanta's Tag Team duo, known for the '90s hit "Whoomp! There It Is," sold over 4 million copies. Known for high-energy party rap, their work includes hits like "U Go From" and albums with massive singles.
Harlem rapper Rob Base (Robert Ginyard) rose with DJ E-Z Rock on the 1988 multi-platinum hit It Takes Two, a hip-house touchstone. The single and album went platinum, earning Spin Single of the Year. His 1989 solo LP was The Incredible Base.
South Central L.A. pop-rap MC Candyman (John B. Shaffer III), Ice-T’s Rhyme Syndicate affiliate; “Knockin’ Boots” hit Hot 100 Top 10; worked w/ Johnny J, DJ Quik.