"Joyous Word"

C&C was formed right out of The Heart of Jesus Church in Waynesboro, Georgia in January 2013, where Sabrina Lewis is the Pastor. The group members consist of singer/rapper Cortez Hankerson Sr. born November 20, 1986 and singer/rapper Curneshia Toppin born October 16, 1992. The group formed through the music ministry of the gospel youth choir that Cortez Hankerson was over. Curneshia Toppin was a member of the youth choir and Cortez was already transitioned from doing secular music to doing gospel/hip-hop. While in the youth choir Curneshia Toppin was also doing secular music with another group. With the encouragement of Cortez, Curneshia left her secular group and focused fully on singing in the choir. It was while Cortez was writing his music for his gospel album The Breaking Sky that he asked Curneshia Toppin to do some vocals on one of his songs. After Curneshia did the vocals on his song The Sky Is Breaking, Cortez ended up asking her if she wanted to join in with him and be a part of a group where he came up with the name C&C (Children of Christ) and also coincidently the first letters of each of their first names Cortez and Curneshia. The history behind Cortez and Curneshia is that Curneshia is the niece of Cortez’s wife Lakeisha Hankerson. Also Cortez and Curneshia used to work together at a local McDonalds in Waynesboro Georgia. Curneshia moved away to New Jersey to start school and she ended up moving back to Waynesboro and started going to The Heart of Jesus Church. Lakeisha was already a member of the Heart of Jesus Church at the time that Curneshia moved back home. Cortez and Curneshia decided to also become members of The Heart of Jesus Church. They have a passion for gospel music and singing/rapping for God.