C.L. Smooth (born Corey Brent Pennhttp://www.discogs.com/artist/C.L.+Smooth on October 8, 1968http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Pete-Rock-and-CL-Smooth-Biography/8806E29CAA7F9E3548256A34000B3A8B in New Rochelle, New York) is an American rapper, poet and best known the vocal half of the influential hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth. After the pair split in 1995 Pete Rock, whose work with CL had garnered him a reputation as one of the finest producer in hip-hop, went on to produce (and remix) tracks for dozens of marquee-name and/or well-respected acts, and to release a batch of solo and instrumental albums. C.L. Smooth remained musically inactive. The pair managed to reconcile their differences only long enough to record five isolated tracks in the ten years since their split: "Da Two," "Back On Da Block," "Fly 'Til I Die," "Appreciate," and "It's A Love Thing." There were talks of a definit