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"If You Keep It Up" is a 1990 house classic by Liz Torres, released on Jive Records and remixed and produced by Robert Clivillés and David Cole — the duo behind C&C Music Factory. Released in 1990, the official music video captures Master C & J™ and Liz Torres at the peak of their creative powers — a full-production visual statement that matched the track's explosive energy with imagery drawn straight from the NYC underground. The video was a rare moment when Chicago vocal house crossed fully into the visual mainstream without losing any of its raw authenticity.

The video was directed by Rosie Perez — then at the very beginning of what would become one of the most celebrated careers in American entertainment. Before her Academy Award-nominated performance in Fearless (1993) and her decades of work as an actress, activist, and television host, Perez was deeply embedded in the NYC hip-hop and dance music underground. She had choreographed In Living Color's Fly Girls and was known for her fierce, kinetic visual sensibility. Her direction brought that same energy to the "If You Keep It Up" video — raw, physical, and unapologetically rooted in the culture.

The video was produced by Lane Janger for Think Again Productions. Janger was a key figure in early 1990s NYC independent film and music video production, working at the intersection of the underground dance scene and emerging visual media. He would go on to write and direct the 1999 feature film Just One Time, but in 1990 he was helping bring the energy of the NYC underground to screen — and the "If You Keep It Up" video stands as one of the most vivid documents of that world.

The video is a landmark document of New York City's Ballroom and voguing culture at its peak. It features Willi Ninja — universally recognized as the Godfather of Voguing and founder of the House of Ninja — bringing his signature sharp, geometric hand-precision and runway poise to every frame. Coming off his breakthrough appearance in Paris Is Burning and Malcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue," Willi was at the height of his influence, instrumental in carrying Ballroom voguing from the underground into mainstream music videos during 1989 and 1990.

Alongside Willi Ninja, the video prominently features runway legends and Ballroom icons from the House of Xtravaganza — one of the most celebrated and storied houses in the history of the New York Ballroom scene. Their presence in the video was a direct reflection of the moment: the House of Xtravaganza was dominating the NYC house and Ballroom club circuit, and their involvement brought an authenticity and visual power that no casting call could manufacture. The seamless blend of Chicago vocal house and New York Ballroom artistry on screen was not a concept — it was a community.

The runway-ready, high-fashion styling for Liz Torres and the dancers was curated by Patricia Field — the legendary fashion designer and stylist deeply connected to the NYC underground house and Ballroom scene — alongside Untitled, NYC. Patricia Field was the designer Liz Torres turned to for her performance outfits, and her fingerprints are all over the video's bold, unapologetic aesthetic. The C&C Music Factory production connection and Patricia Field's wardrobe made the video a true showcase for the NYC underground: Chicago vocal house royalty meeting New York voguing artistry at the exact moment both were crossing into the mainstream.

Myra Lewis — a key figure in the NYC house and Ballroom scene and a close collaborator of Liz Torres — also appears in the video, her presence a testament to the tight-knit community that made this moment possible. As a long-time collaborator of iconic costume designer Patricia Field, Lewis co-created the House of Field — a powerhouse entity in ballroom culture and a sister house to the House of Xtravaganza. From producing the landmark 1988 House of Field Ball to directing the documentary Love Is In The Legend, Lewis's visionary work helped bridge high fashion, ballroom culture, and dance music forever.

The Culture: Features groundbreaking voguing and runway choreography by Willi Ninja (House of Ninja) alongside icons from the House of Xtravaganza.

The Style: Wardrobe and high-fashion aesthetic curated by Patricia Field (with Untitled, NYC), deeply tied to the House of Field vision co-created with Myra Lewis (Love Is In The Legend).

The Legacy: For Master C & J™ and 51st Street Music, this video is a piece of living history — proof that the Queen of House Music, crowned by Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage, carried her crown all the way to Jive Records, into the hands of C&C Music Factory, onto the screen with the Godfather of Voguing, and into the wardrobe of Patricia Field. Every frame is a chapter in the story of what Chicago house and New York Ballroom built together.

Credits: Director — Rosie Perez | Producer — Lane Janger | Production Company — Think Again Productions | Fashion Designer & Styling — Alfredo Viloria | Frederico Macquahae

Liz Torres sits down with Lenny Fontana on True House Stories® for an in-depth conversation about her journey through the house music scene, her collaborations with Master C & J™, and the legacy of Chicago vocal house.

A Puerto Rican newspaper clipping announces a major television appearance by Liz Torres on Jovet — one of Puerto Rico's most prominent and influential talk shows of the era. The headline reads: 'JOVET — MÁS CONTROVERSIAL QUE NUNCA — LIZ TORRES.' Translation: 'JOVET — MORE CONTROVERSIAL THAN EVER — LIZ TORRES.'

The subheading beneath the photo reads: 'Admirada y criticada. La reina del House Music escandalizó al país con su presentación en No Te Duermas. El Gangster se une a esta candente discusión.' Translation: 'Admired and criticized. The Queen of House Music scandalized the country with her appearance on No Te Duermas. El Gangster joins this heated discussion.'

Jovet was Puerto Rico's answer to Oprah — a nationally broadcast talk show that commanded the attention of the entire island. An appearance on Jovet was not a local booking; it was a cultural event. Liz Torres's invitation to the show was a direct acknowledgment of her status as a crossover star whose reach extended far beyond the dance floors of Chicago and New York.

The reference to 'No Te Duermas' — another major Puerto Rican television program — confirms that Liz Torres had become a recurring presence on Puerto Rican television, her performances generating the kind of national conversation that only the biggest stars could provoke. The word 'escandalizó' — scandalized — speaks to the raw power and unapologetic boldness she brought to every stage she stepped on.

For Master C & J™, this clipping is a testament to what their collaboration with Liz Torres produced — not just records, but a cultural force. The Queen of House Music, crowned by Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage, was now commanding the attention of an entire nation on prime-time television.

The latest from the 51st Street Music Instagram — follow along for updates, throwbacks, and moments from the world of Master C & J™.

An Italian music magazine ran a full-page feature titled 'House Nation' — one of the earliest major European press pieces to document the Chicago house music scene as a genuine cultural movement. The article, written by Alessandro Gilardini, dedicates significant coverage to Liz Torres and Master C & J™ as central figures in the story of house music's rise.

On Liz Torres, the article writes: 'Liz Torres è una delle voci più potenti e spirituali che la house music abbia mai prodotto — una cantante capace di trasformare ogni performance in un atto di fede collettiva.' Translation: 'Liz Torres is one of the most powerful and spiritual voices that house music has ever produced — a singer capable of transforming every performance into an act of collective faith.'

On Master C & J™ and their collaboration with Liz Torres: 'La produzione di Master C & J™ rappresenta il cuore pulsante del suono di Chicago — ritmi profondi, linee di basso ipnotiche, e una sensibilità musicale che unisce il gospel, il soul e la danza in qualcosa di completamente nuovo.' Translation: 'The production of Master C & J™ represents the beating heart of the Chicago sound — deep rhythms, hypnotic bass lines, and a musical sensibility that unites gospel, soul, and dance into something entirely new.'

On 'Can't Get Enough': 'Quando la voce di Liz Torres incontra la produzione di Master C & J™ in "Can't Get Enough", il risultato è qualcosa che va oltre la musica da ballo — è una dichiarazione spirituale, un inno che i club di New York e Chicago hanno adottato come proprio.' Translation: 'When the voice of Liz Torres meets the production of Master C & J™ in "Can't Get Enough", the result is something that goes beyond dance music — it is a spiritual declaration, an anthem that the clubs of New York and Chicago adopted as their own.'

The article closes its section on the Chicago artists with: 'Master C & J™ e Liz Torres non sono semplicemente artisti della house music — sono i suoi custodi, le persone che hanno portato questa musica dal sottosuolo di Chicago ai palcoscenici del mondo.' Translation: 'Master C & J™ and Liz Torres are not simply artists of house music — they are its guardians, the people who carried this music from the underground of Chicago to the stages of the world.'

The spread also features coverage of Jack Trax, Byron Stingily, and Kenny Jason, and describes the Warehouse as 'il vero tempio del groove' — 'the true temple of groove' — tracing how the Chicago sound traveled from the underground to the dance floors of Europe and became a global cultural force.

Rolling Stone magazine named "Liz Torres feat. Master C & J™ — Can't Get Enough (AA987)" one of the 20 Best Chicago House Records of all time. The list, compiled by the editors of Rolling Stone, celebrates the defining recordings that shaped the sound of Chicago house music and its global influence.

"Can't Get Enough" stands as one of the most powerful collaborations in house music history — Liz Torres's gospel-drenched vocals riding a deep, driving production from Master C & J™ that captured everything raw and spiritual about the Chicago underground. Its inclusion on Rolling Stone's definitive list cements its place in the canon of American music.

Maestro is the definitive documentary on Larry Levan and the Paradise Garage — the legendary New York club that, alongside Chicago's own underground, shaped the entire course of house music history. Master C & J™ and Liz Torres are part of this story, their music woven into the fabric of the Garage's most iconic nights.

Larry Levan's Paradise Garage was the crucible where Chicago house and New York's underground dance scene met and merged. The records that Master C & J™ made — deep, spiritual, and relentlessly driving — were exactly the kind of music Levan championed, and "Can't Get Enough" featuring Liz Torres became one of the anthems that defined that era.

The Maestro documentary and its accompanying release on Discogs stands as a permanent record of that world — and of the artists like Master C & J™ and Liz Torres who helped build it. Their inclusion in this history is not a footnote; it is a cornerstone.

Last.fm — the world's largest music discovery and social listening platform — features a dedicated artist biography for Liz Torres, documenting her journey as one of the most distinctive and powerful voices in the history of house music.

The biography traces her rise from the Chicago underground through her landmark collaborations with Master C & J™, her performances at the Paradise Garage and the Palladium in New York, and her enduring influence on the vocal house genre she helped define.

Penetration Inc published a full press kit for Master C & J™ and Liz Torres — a three-part document featuring an official press release, a complete Liz Torres biography, and pages of quotes about the duo from artists, journalists, and figures across the house music world.

The press release chronicles the story of Master C & J™ from the streets of Chicago's South Side to the global stage, documenting the creation of the 51st Street Music label and the recordings that defined a genre. The Liz Torres biography traces her journey as one of house music's most powerful and distinctive voices — a vocalist whose performances with Master C & J™ became the gold standard for the form.

The quotes section draws from voices across the dance music community, offering testimony to the lasting impact of Master C & J™ and Liz Torres on house music culture worldwide. Together, the three pages form one of the most comprehensive documents of the duo's legacy ever assembled.

PopMatters — one of the most respected independent music and culture publications in the world — featured a dedicated review of "Master C & J feat. Liz Torres — Can't Get Enough," recognizing the track's enduring power and its place in the story of Chicago house music.

For a record made in the heat of Chicago's underground club scene to earn critical attention from a publication of PopMatters' caliber decades later is a testament to the timelessness of what Master C & J™ created. "Can't Get Enough" doesn't just hold up — it sounds as urgent and alive today as the night it was first played.

Time Out New York — one of the world's most respected guides to urban culture and nightlife — spotlighted Master C & J featuring Liz Torres in their clubs and nightlife coverage, recognizing the duo's enduring impact on the dance music landscape.

For a New York publication synonymous with discerning taste in music and nightlife to feature Master C & J™ is a testament to how far the sound of Chicago's South Side traveled. The records they made together with Liz Torres didn't just define a city — they defined a movement that New York's club world embraced and never let go.

Long before house music conquered dance floors around the world, it was being forged in the basements, warehouses, and clubs of Chicago's South Side. At the heart of that movement stood Master C & J™ — the production of Liz Torres, Jessie Jones, DJ Lugo Rosado, Edward Crosby, Joe Pusateri, Jorge Torres, Carl Bias — whose pioneering sound helped define a genre and inspire generations of DJs and producers.

Formed in the early 1980s, Master C & J™ brought a raw, soulful energy to the emerging house music scene. Their landmark 1986 release "In the City" became an anthem of the Chicago underground, blending deep basslines, gospel-tinged vocals, and hypnotic drum machine rhythms into something entirely new. The track captured the spirit of a city and a community finding its voice through music.

Operating out of their 51st Street Music imprint, the duo became synonymous with quality and authenticity. Their productions were rooted in the Black musical traditions of Chicago — gospel, soul, blues, and funk — filtered through the technology of the time: Roland drum machines, synthesizers, and reel-to-reel tape. The result was a body of work that felt both futuristic and deeply human.

Decades on, Master C & J™ remain active and relevant. Their catalog continues to be licensed, sampled, and celebrated by artists worldwide, and their live performances carry the same electricity that lit up Chicago's club scene in the 1980s. For fans of house music in its purest form, Master C & J™ are not just legends — they are the foundation.

When Liz Torres stepped into the studio with Master C & J™, the result was something that transcended the boundaries of house music and touched the soul. Torres, whose powerful gospel-influenced vocals had already made her a fixture in the Chicago scene, found the perfect musical backdrop in the duo's deep, driving productions.

Their collaborations produced some of the most emotionally resonant records to emerge from the Chicago house movement. Torres brought a raw, spiritual intensity to every performance — her voice capable of moving from a whisper to a full-throated cry in a single phrase — while Master C & J™'s production gave her the space and the groove to soar.

Tracks like their collaborative releases on 51st Street Music became staples in the record bags of DJs from Chicago to London, from New York to Ibiza. The combination of Torres's vocal power and Master C & J™'s production instincts created records that worked equally well in the heat of a packed dance floor and in the quiet of a late-night listening session.

Liz Torres remains one of the most distinctive voices in house music history, and her work with Master C & J™ stands as a testament to what happens when exceptional talent meets the right creative partnership. These recordings are not just songs — they are documents of a moment when Chicago was the center of the musical universe.

Master C & J™'s latest catalog is now streaming and available for purchase on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Traxsource. Decades of Chicago house music history at your fingertips.

Master C & J™ will be performing at select venues across Chicago this fall season. Contact us for booking inquiries and to bring the authentic sound of Chicago house music to your event.

From the early days of Chicago's underground club scene to international recognition, 51st Street Music continues to honor and evolve the legacy of house music. Thank you to all the fans worldwide.

Classic and new releases are available on vinyl and CD. Reach out directly to purchase physical copies and add a piece of Chicago house music history to your collection.