peared to have run its course, and Farian, in the role
of producer, recorded songs for a new project using
the studio singers John Davis, Brad Howell, twin sis-
ters Jodie and Linda Rocco, and Charles Shaw. Con-
vinced that the group needed a more video-friendly
appearance, and buoyed by his success at having got-
ten away with masking performances before, Farian
hired photogenic German models and dancers
Fabrice “Fab” Morvan and Rob Pilatus to “perform”
the new songs as Milli Vanilli (a name taken from a
Turkish advertising slogan).
Milli Vanilli, whose music was a catchy blend of
high-tech, postdisco dance music and R&B that in-
cluded a little rap, became an instant success.Girl
You Know It’s True, the group’s debut album, sold
over six million copies upon its U.S. release in 1989,
and all four of its singles (“Baby Don’t Forget My
Number,” “Blame It on the Rain,” “Girl I’m Gonna
Miss You,” and the title track) reached the top five
onBillboard’s pop singles chart.
Even after a technical gaffe at a July, 1989, perfor-
mance revealed Morvan and Pilatus to have been lip-
synching onstage, the ruse might have continued.
However, as criticism over their live nonsinging
grew, Morvan and Pilatus began pressuring Farian to
allow them to sing on future Milli Vanilli recordings,
and, in November, 1990, nine months after Milli
Vanilli had won a Grammy Award for Best New Art-
ist, Farian responded by officially unmasking the
duo as a fraud.
In 1993, Morvan and Pilatus attempted a come-
back by releasingRob & Fab, but the album failed. In
1996, Pilatus was convicted of vandalism, attempted
robbery, and assault and served a brief jail term. Fol-
lowing a stint in a drug rehabilitation program,
Pilatus returned to Germany and committed suicide
there on April 2, 1998.
Impact After the scandal, the practice of using
nonsingers to pose as a song’s actual performers (a
practice that, in fact, was not widespread but that
showed signs of becoming prevalent) came to an
end. In the wake of lawsuits filed by the singer Mar-
tha Wash against the acts C+C Music Factory, Black
Box, and Seduction, each of whom had disguised
her contributions to their music with more fashion-
ably presentable lip-synching performers, legisla-
tion was passed requiring all recordings to accu-
rately credit their participants.
Further Reading
Bogdanov, Vladimir, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, and
Chris Woodstra, eds.All Music Guide to Rock: The
Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. 3d ed. Mil-
waukee: Hal Leonard, 2002.
Popyk, Bob. “How Can They Call This Junk Music?
Or, How Seeing Milli Vanilli in Concert Made Me
Feel Ready for the Geriatric Ward.”Music Trades
138, no. 9 (October, 1990): 89-90.
Arsenio OrtezaSee also African Americans; Hip-hop and rap mu-
sic; Music; Scandals. Million Man March
The Event African American men participate in a
massive rally
Date October 16, 1995
Place The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The Million Man March was composed of African Ameri-
can men and others who supported its stated goals of
“unity, atonement, and brotherhood.” The rally was also
political, as its leaders were critical of the conservative Re-
publican leadership that rose to power in the 1994 congres-
sional elections.
Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam,
conceived the idea for the Million Man March.
Farrakhan was born Louis Eugene Walcott and later
assumed a Muslim name. Recognized as a powerful
and inspirational speaker, he was a controversial fig-
ure because some of his comments were viewed as
racist, sexist, or anti-Semitic. Republican leader and
Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich criticized the
gathering for supporting Farrakhan. President Bill
Clinton supported the march but was critical of
Farrakhan’s comments, as were many African Amer-
icans. Farrakhan defended his remarks by stating
that they were taken out of context.
Although Farrakhan’s primary role in the Million
Man March was the subject of great controversy,
most Americans respected the importance of the is-
sues addressed by the event. The program agenda
and thousands of discussions on the National Mall
focused upon fundamental social issues important
to African American males. Besides Farrakhan,
many others played important roles in the Million
Man March. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., served as the574 Million Man March The Nineties in America