C+C Music Factory Co-Founder Threatens To Sue Frontman For Using Group Name

C+C Music Factory, the '90s music group responsible for classic hip-house tracks like "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" and "Things That Make You Go Hmmm…," have been back in the news lately for disreputable reasons. Last week, C+C were announced as part of the extremely '90s-heavy initial lineup for Donald Trump's Freedom 250 concert series, the Great American State Fair. While other acts dropped out, rapper Freedom Williams, who guested on some of C+C's biggest hits, defended his involvement in a saucy seven-minute rant filmed while he was on the toilet, essentially arguing that he needs the money and a gig's a gig. Williams acquired the legal rights to the C+C Music Factory trademark for live performances in 2003, and he controls the longstanding C+C Instagram account.

Robert Clivillés, one of two founders of C+C alongside David Cole, is not pleased. Clivillés launched his own official C+C Instagram account last week and immediately started using it to distance himself and the group from Williams and the Freedom 250 event. "PLEASE be aware that Freedom Williams has done his best to misuse our name - C&C Music Factory which actually stands for: Clivlles & Cole Music Factory," he wrote in the account's first post. "Freedom Williams in all honesty should not be using it to tour or represent what this group stands for in any way without permission, if he was a man of honor and truth he would honestly stop."

Today, on his personal account, Clivillés threatened legal action against Williams, citing a history of "Racial Discriminatory, Bigotry, Xenophobic, Prejudiced, Ethnic, racial discrimination and Hate speech" that run counter to the original ethos of C+C. Here's what he wrote:

Time for the estate of David Cole and Robert Clivillés to sue Freedom William for defamation of character and the mis-use of the C&C Music Factory with Racial Discriminatory, Bigotry, Xenophobic, Prejudiced, Ethnic, racial discrimination and Hate speech.

There’s more, it’s time for you to stop my bro…

Drop our name voluntarily or go down in the flames of your stupidity
The Real C&C Music Factory.

If Clivillés and the Cole estate do sue Williams, it will be interesting to see who prevails in court.