How a wedding DJ created a global disco phenomenon from Minneapolis

Cultures · Published 9 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before Lipps Inc. became a household name with their 1980 smash Funkytown, the group was merely a creative outlet for a Minneapolis wedding DJ. Steven Greenberg sought to pivot from spinning records to producing his own disco tracks, eventually finding his voice through a serendipitous partnership with vocalist Cynthia Johnson.

The origin of Lipps Inc. lies in the ambition of Steven Greenberg, who initially intended to name his project Lip Sync. After discovering the name was already claimed, he settled on the homophone Lipps Inc. as a clever nod to the practice of miming vocals. Greenberg functioned as the primary architect of the group, handling writing and production duties while assembling a rotating cast of session musicians. The project solidified into a duo after Greenberg auditioned singers for his track Rock It and recruited Cynthia Johnson to provide the lead vocals.

Their debut album, Mouth to Mouth, arrived in late 1979, following the release of the single Rock It. However, it was the album's second single, Funkytown, that propelled the group to international stardom. The song achieved remarkable success, topping the charts in 28 countries and securing the number one spot on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the primary American dance music charts for four consecutive weeks. Within months of its release, the 7-inch single sold over 2 million copies, earning platinum certification within its first year and eventually reaching double platinum status.

Despite this massive initial impact, the group struggled to replicate the heights of their breakthrough. While they continued to produce dance hits throughout the 1980s—including a 1981 cover of the song How Long—none matched the global dominance of their signature track. The group's lineup shifted over time, with Johnson eventually departing after their third album, Designer Music. She was replaced by Margie Cox and Melanie Rosales for the band's final album, 4, released in 1983. The group officially disbanded two years later, leaving behind a legacy defined by one of the most successful dance anthems in history.

The group's reach was so vast that it even sparked unusual performance arrangements abroad. In the Netherlands, British dancer Debbie Jenner, known as Doris D, performed the song on the television program TopPop. Her success in mimicking the track led to invitations for her and her dancers to tour as Lipps Inc. across Europe, eventually launching her own career as Doris D & the Pins in 1981.

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