You know the sound. It’s that massive, glass-shattering vocal that commands you to "Everybody dance now!" or the gritty, iconic declaration that "I got the power!" If you grew up in the 90s, these weren't just songs; they were the DNA of every middle school dance, sporting event, and workout montage for a decade. But there’s a weird bit of Mandela Effect happening lately. People are constantly searching for cc music factory i got the power, convinced that the New York production duo was behind that specific track.
Honestly? It's an easy mistake to make.
The early 90s were a blur of neon spandex, house beats, and mysterious vocalists who didn't always match the people in the music videos. While C+C Music Factory defined the era with "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)," they actually didn't record the song "The Power." That honor belongs to the German group Snap! Yet, the two tracks are so intertwined in our collective nostalgia that they’ve basically fused into one mega-hit in the minds of millions.
Why Everyone Thinks C+C Music Factory Sang "The Power"
It’s about the "Diva House" blueprint. Robert Clivillés and David Cole (the "C" and "C" in the name) were absolute masters of a very specific sound: a booming hip-hop beat, a deep-voiced male rapper, and a powerhouse female vocalist belting out a hook that could be heard from space.
"Gonna Make You Sweat" and "The Power" both used this exact formula.
Think about the structure. You’ve got Freedom Williams rapping for C+C Music Factory with that cool, almost bored-sounding baritone. Then you’ve got Turbo B doing the same thing for Snap!. Both songs released within months of each other (1990). Both became global anthems. If you were on a dance floor in 1991, you probably heard them back-to-back so many times that your brain just filed them under "The 90s Dance Factory."
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There’s also the "I got the power" vocal itself. It actually didn't even start with Snap!. The sample was lifted from a 1985 song called "Love Is Gonna Get You" by Jocelyn Brown. Snap! just took that one line, cranked the bass, and turned it into a cultural phenomenon. Because C+C Music Factory was also famous for using "uncredited" powerhouse vocalists (we'll get to Martha Wash in a second), the confusion became permanent.
The Martha Wash Scandal: The Real Voice Behind the Curtain
If you want to talk about cc music factory i got the power and why the history is so messy, you have to talk about Martha Wash. She is, quite literally, the most famous voice you never knew you knew.
Martha was one-half of the Weather Girls (of "It's Raining Men" fame). She had this incredible, church-trained voice that could cut through any club mix. When Clivillés and Cole were putting together "Gonna Make You Sweat," they brought her in to record some demos. They paid her a session fee, and she thought that was that.
Then the music video came out.
Suddenly, a model named Zelma Davis was on MTV, lip-syncing Martha's "Everybody dance now!" vocals. Zelma was thin, glamorous, and fit the "MTV look" of the time. Martha Wash was a plus-sized Black woman in her 30s, and the label clearly decided she didn't fit the image they wanted to sell.
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Martha didn't take it sitting down. She sued. And she didn't just sue C+C Music Factory; she went after Black Box too (the group behind "Everybody Everybody," which she also sang). Her legal battles actually changed the music industry forever. Because of Martha Wash, federal legislation was eventually passed making it mandatory to credit vocalists on CDs and music videos.
The Snap! Connection and the "Power" Struggle
While Martha was fighting for credit in New York, a similar drama was unfolding in Germany with Snap!. Their song "The Power" also featured a "visualization" issue. The woman in the video, Jackie Harris, wasn't the one singing the "I got the power" hook (that was Jocelyn Brown) or the soulful ad-libs (that was Penny Ford).
It was a weird time for authenticity.
The "factory" in C+C Music Factory wasn't just a cool name. Clivillés and Cole viewed the project as a rotating door of talent. They were the architects; everyone else was a component. This is why people get the songs confused. Both groups felt less like traditional "bands" and more like high-energy production projects designed for maximum club impact.
Why These Songs Still Hit Hard in 2026
It’s easy to dismiss this era as "cheese," but the technical production on these tracks was actually lightyears ahead of its time. David Cole was a phenomenal musician who died tragically young in 1995 from complications related to spinal meningitis. His arrangements were complex, blending house, freestyle, and pop in a way that modern EDM still tries to emulate.
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"Gonna Make You Sweat" isn't just a beat; it's a perfectly engineered piece of pop machinery.
Key Differences to Keep Your Facts Straight:
- The Song: "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)"
- Artist: C+C Music Factory
- Vocalist: Martha Wash (The "Everybody Dance Now" part)
- Rapper: Freedom Williams
- The Song: "The Power"
- Artist: Snap!
- Vocalist: Jocelyn Brown (Sampled "I got the power") / Penny Ford
- Rapper: Turbo B
What You Can Do Next
If you’ve been searching for cc music factory i got the power because you're putting together a 90s playlist or just settling a bar bet, here is the move:
Go back and listen to Martha Wash’s solo work. After the lawsuits, she finally got the spotlight she deserved. Check out her 1992 self-titled album. It's a masterclass in house vocals that doesn't rely on the "factory" gimmicks of the era.
Also, if you're a fan of the production side, look into the work of Robert Clivillés and David Cole outside of the Factory. They produced for everyone from Mariah Carey to Aretha Franklin. Their influence on the "90s sound" is much deeper than just one or two club hits. Understanding the distinction between these groups doesn't just make you a trivia king—it helps you appreciate the actual session singers who were often erased from the very hits they made famous.