Happy Birthday, CL Smooth!

Today in Hip-hop, we celebrate the birth of one of industry's greatest artists of all time, CL Smooth.

Born Corey Brent Penn in New York, CL Smooth gained recognition as a rapper, best known for being one half of the duo, Pete Rock & CL Smooth. Although the pair eventually split in 1995, Smooth's musicality led him to producing, and went on to produce for numerous prominent artist, as well as release a collection of solos and instrumental albums as well. To this day, CL Smooth is recognized as one of the industry's most prominent producers.

Despite being a critically-acclaimed producer, Smooth would also indicate his virtuosic side through declining several offers to appear on other artists' albums. The producer, on the other hand, made exceptions with DJ Krush's Only The Strong Survive, as well as contributing guest vocals to AZ's single, “Magic Hour”, Nujabes' “Sky is Falling”, Supahfuh's “Act of Faith”.

In 2006, Smooth released his much-awaited debut album, American Me, which envisioned the rapper's comeback after an excruciatingly-long hiatus. The album signified Smooth's skills as a solo artist, and although it lacked Pete Rock's iconic “jazzy” touch, Smooth's hard-hitting hooks and impressive production techniques catered greatly to his first solo entry, and solidified his rank as a soloist.

After releasing his second album, as well as numerous singles and collaborations, Hip-hop came to see the return of Pete Rock & CL Smooth as the two led the charge for the “Clean Energy Tour” in California, which signified the duo's iconic reunion.

By Jods Arboleda for RAPStation.com