C.L. Smooth (born Corey Brent Penn, Sr., October 8, 1968, New Rochelle, New York) is an American rapper. He is best known as the vocal half of the hip-hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth.After the pair split in 1995 Pete Rock, whose work with C.L. had garnered him a reputation as one of the most acclaimed producers 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.