Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American
hip-hop group formed in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
in 1985, that comprised
Salt
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
(Cheryl James),
Pepa
Performance Evaluation Process Algebra (PEPA) is a stochastic process algebra designed for modelling computer and communication systems introduced by Jane Hillston in the 1990s. The language extends classical process algebras such as Milner's ...
(Sandra Denton), and
DJ Spinderella
Deidra Muriel Roper (born August 3, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spinderella or simply Spinderella, is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Roper occasionally appeared in '' T ...
(Deidra Roper). Their debut album, ''
Hot, Cool & Vicious
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Released by Next Plateau Records on December 8, 1986, it was one of the first albums to be released by an all-female rap group.
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' ...
'' (1986), sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making them the first female rap act to achieve
gold and platinum status by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
[Salt-N-Pepa Outsold Wu-Tang, So Why Don't We Talk About Them More?](_blank)
Medium. Retrieved on February 28, 2019 The album included the single, "
Push It", which was released in 1987 as the B-side to their single "Tramp", and peaked within the top 20 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Salt-N-Pepa's second album ''
A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on August 2, 1988, by London Records and Next Plateau Records. The album reached number 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number eight on the ...
'' (1988), was certified gold by the RIAA. The Trio's third album ''
Blacks' Magic
''Blacks' Magic'' is the third studio album by American Hip Hop music, hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on March 19, 1990, by Next Plateau Entertainment, Next Plateau Records and London Records. A critical and commercial success, the album peak ...
'' (1990), featured the singles "
Expression
Expression may refer to:
Linguistics
* Expression (linguistics), a word, phrase, or sentence
* Fixed expression, a form of words with a specific meaning
* Idiom, a type of fixed expression
* Metaphorical expression, a particular word, phrase, o ...
" and "
Let's Talk About Sex
"Let's Talk About Sex" is a song by American hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa, released in August 1991 as a single from their third studio album, ''Blacks' Magic'' (1990). It achieved great success in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Germ ...
". In 1993, they released the album, ''
Very Necessary
''Very Necessary'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on October 12, 1993, by Next Plateau Records and London Records. The album spawned four singles, including " Shoop" (their first top-five single on the ...
'', which sold over 7 million copies worldwide (5 million of those in the U.S.), and was the highest-selling rap album by a female act (solo or group) in history at the time.
The album included the hit singles "
Shoop" and "
Whatta Man
"What a Man" is a song written by Dave Crawford, and originally recorded for Stax Records' Volt imprint by Linda Lyndell, whose recording reached number 50 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1968. The song was sampled and reinterpreted as "Whatt ...
" with
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
. They won the 1995
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance.
The award was discontinue ...
for their song "
None of Your Business
"None of Your Business" is the third single released from Salt-n-Pepa's fourth studio album, ''Very Necessary''. It was written and produced by Hurby Azor and earned the group its first Grammy Award.
The song is included on the 1996 ''Barb Wire ...
", making them one of the first female rap acts to win a Grammy Award, along with
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
, who won later during the same ceremony.
Salt-N-Pepa have sold over 15 million records worldwide, making them one of the best selling rap acts of all time. Their success in rap and hip hop culture has earned them the
honorific title "The First Ladies of Rap".
History
1985–1987: Formation and ''Hot, Cool & Vicious''
In 1985, Queens, New York residents Cheryl James and Sandra Denton met as both were studying nursing at Queensborough Community College. The pair became close friends, and also co–workers at Sears, along with future celebrities
Kid N' Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop duo from New York City that was most popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher Reid ("Kid") and Christopher Martin ("Play") working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eas ...
and
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald LawrenceStated in interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'' (born April 16, 1965) is an American comedian and actor. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. He got his start playin ...
. Another co-worker
Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor was studying music production at the Center of Media Arts and had his then-girlfriend Cheryl James, and also Sandra Denton, record a song for him as a class project he had to do. This resulted in the song "The Showstopper", an
answer record An answer song, response song or answer record, is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer son ...
to
Doug E. Fresh
Doug E. Fresh (born September 17, 1966) is a Barbados-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxer, also known as the "Human Beat Box". The pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing, Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum machines an ...
's hit single "The Show"
by the duo, who originally called themselves Super Nature. The song used a melody from the 1984 film ''
Revenge of the Nerds
''Revenge of the Nerds'' is a 1984 American comedy film directed by Jeff Kanew and starring Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Ted McGinley, and Bernie Casey. The film's plot chronicles a group of nerds at the fictional Adams College trying ...
''. Azor passed the song along to his friend
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams (born September 30, 1962), better known by his stage name Marley Marl, is an American DJ, record producer, rapper and record label founder, primarily operating in hip hop music. Marlon grew up in Queensbridge housing projects ...
who hosted a weekend rap show on a New York City radio station. Marl occasionally included the song in his set rotation, and it became so popular that the station received requests to play it during Marl's weekend rap set. The song, however, was not available in stores as it was simply a music school assignment. The independent Pop Art Records stepped in an offered to give the song an official release, and "The Showstopper" became a modest R&B hit,
reaching No. 46 on the US Billboard R&B chart.
After finding some success with "The Showstopper", Azor, James, and Denton decided to focus on the group full-time, with Denton and James soon dropping out of nursing school. Azor changed the group's name to Salt-N-Pepa, based on the song's lyrics "Right now I'm gonna show you how it's supposed to be 'Cause we, the salt and pepper MCs", which had resulted in radio stations getting phone calls requesting "The Showstopper" by Salt And Pepper. In September 1985, the group signed to
Next Plateau Records
Next Plateau Entertainment (formerly Next Plateau Records) is an American record label that currently operates in association with Republic Records.
Background
1980s
New York City-based independent label Next Plateau Records began in the early 1 ...
, but the label only wanted to release a single at first; James and Denton recorded "I'll Take Your Man", produced by Azor, and the label released it. The song utilized a melody from the hit single "
Flash Light
A flashlight ( US, Canada) or torch ( UK, Australia) is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, but these have been displaced by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) since the ...
" by funk band
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. Next Plateau had now requested a full-length album, and Azor felt the group should be a female trio, similar to the male rap trio
Run DMC
Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
. Before starting work on a full-length album, Azor recruited DJ Latoya Hanson (called Spinderella) into Salt-N-Pepa. The ladies worked on the album and in December 1986 the trio's debut album ''
Hot, Cool & Vicious
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Released by Next Plateau Records on December 8, 1986, it was one of the first albums to be released by an all-female rap group.
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' ...
'' was released, produced by Azor, Salt's boyfriend at the time and the group's manager.
Hansen was in the group for a few months but she and Salt were not on friendly terms and Hansen departed the group after they finished the album, but just before it was distributed to stores. Soon after, in early 1987, 16-year-old high school student Deidra Roper was recruited into the group by Azor and became known as
Spinderella
Deidra Muriel Roper (born August 3, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spinderella or simply Spinderella, is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Roper occasionally appeared in ''Th ...
, the DJ in the group.
''Hot, Cool & Vicious'' included some moderate rap/R&B radio hits such as "The Showstopper", "My Mic Sound Nice", and "Tramp", but when San Francisco DJ and producer Cameron Paul created a remix to "
Push It", the B-side of the "Tramp" single, it gave the group their first major hit.
"Push It" (US #19, UK #2) became a platinum single in the United States, and a hit in several other countries, and was added to subsequent pressings of ''Hot, Cool & Vicious''. It was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, and the strength of that single catapulted the album to platinum sales in the U.S. with over 1 million copies sold, making Denton, James, and Roper the first female rap act to go platinum. The album ultimately sold 1.4 million copies worldwide.
The group entered the music industry at a time when hip hop was believed to be a fad, and as major record companies were very reluctant to sign hip hop artists, many early hip hop artists recorded for independent labels. Salt-N-Pepa greatly impacted hip hop by being one of the first all-female rap groups. Concerned about sexist lyrics and video clips that objectified women's bodies in hip hop, many
feminists
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male poi ...
disliked rap and hip hop because it negatively portrayed women. However, Salt-N-Pepa changed the look of hip hop. They were scantily clad in sexy clothing and were not afraid to talk about sex and their thoughts about men. Their song "
Let's Talk About Sex
"Let's Talk About Sex" is a song by American hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa, released in August 1991 as a single from their third studio album, ''Blacks' Magic'' (1990). It achieved great success in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Germ ...
" was a huge hit.
1988–1992: ''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' and ''Blacks' Magic''
Salt-N-Pepa's next album, ''
A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on August 2, 1988, by London Records and Next Plateau Records. The album reached number 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number eight on the ...
'', was released on July 26, 1988, and contained the top 10 R&B hit "
Shake Your Thang", featuring the
go-go
Go-go is a music subgenre, subgenre of funk music with an emphasis on specific rhythmic patterns, and live audience Call and response (music), call and response.
Go-go was originated by African-American musicians in the Washington, D.C. area du ...
band
E.U.
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
Also, a top 20 R&B hit and a minor pop hit were seen in "Get Up Everybody (Get Up)" and "
Twist and Shout
"Twist and Shout" is a 1961 song written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later credited as "Bert Russell"). It was originally recorded by the Top Notes, but it did not become a hit in the record charts until it was reworked by the Isley Brothers ...
", respectively; with "Twist and Shout" becoming a major hit in the UK (#4),
and several European countries. The album sold 800,000 copies globally, with 500,000 of those sold in the US, obtaining gold-status in the US.
The group's third album ''
Blacks' Magic
''Blacks' Magic'' is the third studio album by American Hip Hop music, hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on March 19, 1990, by Next Plateau Entertainment, Next Plateau Records and London Records. A critical and commercial success, the album peak ...
'' was released on March 19, 1990 and saw personal moments for the trio on different levels. Pepa had become the first group member to become pregnant. Azor produced some songs on the album, but as he was producing other acts, he agreed to let the group work with different producers to finish the album. Salt and Spinderella took on some producing assignments themselves, and the trio hired different producers, such as Invincible's producer Dana Mozie. This was the first album to feature Roper on vocals throughout much of the album as well as DJing. The result was six singles released by Next Plateau Records, several of which became hits: "Expression" (US #26, UK #40 in ''1990'', UK #23 in ''1992''), a platinum single, produced by Salt; "Independent"; "I Don't Know" (featuring
Kid 'n Play
Kid 'n Play is an American hip-hop duo from New York City that was most popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher Reid ("Kid") and Christopher Martin ("Play") working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eas ...
); "
Do You Want Me
"Do You Want Me" is a song by American R&B- hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released in February 1991 as the third single from their 1990 album, ''Blacks' Magic''. It reached 21 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and charted at No. 5 on the UK Singles ...
" (US #21, UK #5), certified gold; "
Let's Talk About Sex
"Let's Talk About Sex" is a song by American hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa, released in August 1991 as a single from their third studio album, ''Blacks' Magic'' (1990). It achieved great success in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Germ ...
" (US #13, UK #2), certified gold, and later re-recorded as "Let's Talk About AIDS" for an awareness promotion; and "You Showed Me" (US #47, UK #15). The album ultimately sold 1.6 million copies worldwide with 1 million of those sold in the U.S. A greatest hits album called ''A Blitz of Salt-N-Pepa Hits'', featuring some remixed versions of songs from the group's first three albums later was released.
1993–1996: Groundbreaking success, ''Very Necessary''
Salt-N-Pepa's fourth studio album ''
Very Necessary
''Very Necessary'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on October 12, 1993, by Next Plateau Records and London Records. The album spawned four singles, including " Shoop" (their first top-five single on the ...
'' was released on October 12, 1993, on
London Records
London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...
.
The album featured songwriting and production by Salt, Pepa, Spinderella, and Azor. Buoyed by the hits "
Shoop" (U.S. #4, UK #13), co-produced by Pepa; "
Whatta Man
"What a Man" is a song written by Dave Crawford, and originally recorded for Stax Records' Volt imprint by Linda Lyndell, whose recording reached number 50 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1968. The song was sampled and reinterpreted as "Whatt ...
" (U.S. #3, UK #7) (featuring
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
); and "
None of Your Business
"None of Your Business" is the third single released from Salt-n-Pepa's fourth studio album, ''Very Necessary''. It was written and produced by Hurby Azor and earned the group its first Grammy Award.
The song is included on the 1996 ''Barb Wire ...
", a top 40 U.S. hit and a top 20 UK hit, ''Very Necessary'' eventually sold 7 million copies worldwide, with 5 million of those in the U.S. - 5× platinum status. This made them the first female rap act (solo or group) to have a multi-platinum certified album. The group toured, and Salt co-starred in the movie ''
Who's the Man?
''Who's the Man?'' is a 1993 thriller buddy comedy film directed by Ted Demme in his feature film directing debut. The film stars ''Yo! MTV Raps'' hosts Doctor Dré and Ed Lover as its two main protagonists and features cameo appearances from s ...
'' and Pepa co-starred in the film ''
Joe's Apartment
''Joe's Apartment'' is a 1996 American musical black comedy film written and directed by John Payson (in his feature directorial debut), based on his 1992 short film of the same name, and starring Jerry O'Connell and Megan Ward. The first MTV Films ...
''. Pepa had been romantically involved with
Treach
Anthony Criss (born December 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Treach, is an American rapper and actor. He is perhaps best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.
Career
With Naughty by Nature, Treach worked ...
of the rap group
Naughty By Nature. The trio won a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1995 for the single "None of Your Business",
making them the first female rap act to win a Grammy, along with
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
who later won at the same ceremony. ''Very Necessary'' is the best-selling album by a female rap act.
1997–2004: ''Brand New'' and hiatus
By the time of their next album release, Salt-N-Pepa had gone through the legal process of completely breaking away from Azor, whom they accused of unfair royalty payments. Salt had already stopped being romantically involved with him due to their many ups-and-downs. The trio left London Records after one album and signed with Red Ant Records, though still distributed by
PolyGram Records
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
(the label that had distributed their ''Very Necessary'' album on London Records) through PolyGram's
Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
label. Red Ant paid the trio a $15 million signing bonus when they signed their contracts. The group undertook production duties once again, but this time Azor was not involved in any part of the album. This would be the first and only album without any production from Azor. The result was the album ''
Brand New'', released on October 21, 1997. However, Red Ant was having financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy soon after the album hit stores, halting marketing and promotion on all its releases, including Salt-N-Pepa's album. The group toured in support of the album, but without any promotion from the bankrupt label, they only scored minor hits with "
R U Ready
"R U Ready" is a song by American hip hop girl group Salt-N-Pepa from their fifth studio album, '' Brand New'' (1997). It was released as the album's lead single. The song contains excerpts from "Watch Out" by Brass Construction
Brass Const ...
" and "
Gitty Up". The album was certified gold in the US for sales of 500,000 copies and sold approximately another 100,000 copies internationally. Although not as big a seller as its predecessor, it kept intact an unbroken string of gold or platinum studio albums by the trio.
In March 1999, Salt-N-Pepa embarked on a tour. Pepa married Treach of
Naughty by Nature on July 27 of the same year. Salt-N-Pepa's greatest-hits album, titled ''
The Best of Salt-N-Pepa
The Best of Salt 'n Pepa is a greatest hits album by American hip hop trio Salt-N-Pepa. It was released in November 1999. The album featured tracks from their five studio albums, ''Hot, Cool & Vicious'', ''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'', ''Blacks' Ma ...
'', was released in Europe on January 25, 2000. Pepa and Treach remained married for two years, but their tumultuous marriage ended in divorce on July 31, 2001. With no albums contractually due at the time, Salt decided to quit the group, stating she had enough of the music industry and no longer wanted to be involved in it. They officially disbanded in 2002. Some time later, Salt announced that she would release a solo album, but ultimately did not do so. She was featured on the remix version of the Salt City Six's "Shine" on the album ''
Holy South Worldwide
Mr. Del Presents Holy South World Wide is the second compilation album by Memphis Christian Rap artist Mr. Del. It was released on August 3, 2004 and includes appearances by Lisa Kimmey of Out Of Eden, Salt from Salt N Pepa, Euclid of Public Anno ...
'', a compilation of Christian rap and Christian R&P (Rhythm & Praise) songs. The album was produced by ex-
Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia is an American Hip hop music, hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip hop group, they would eventually go on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mys ...
member-turned-Christian rapper
Mr. Del
Mr. Del (born Delmar H. Lawrence III; June 10, 1978) is an American Christian rapper and music producer. He is president of the independent record label Dedicated Music Group (DMG)/Universal Records. He received a Grammy award nomination for B ...
. Salt also revealed in later interviews that she had suffered from
bulimia
Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eate ...
many years ago. Pepa appeared on the fifth season of VH-1's ''
The Surreal Life
''The Surreal Life'' is an American reality television series that records a group of celebrities as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks. The format of the show resembles that of ''The Real W ...
''. Spinderella became a radio personality on
KKBT 100.3 in Los Angeles. She hosted ''The Backspin'' (with DJ Mo'Dav), a nationally syndicated weekly radio show featuring
old school hip hop music. She also periodically DJs at various clubs. The trio was disbanded for a total of five years.
2005–present: Reunion, other ventures and DJ Spinderella’s departure
![Salt-n-Pepa (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Salt-n-Pepa_%282%29.jpg)
Salt and Pepa both appeared on VH1's ''
Hip Hop Honors
The Hip Hop Honors is an annual event that airs on VH1. The television special honors old school and golden age hip hop rappers and contributors for their long-term influence and importance in the history of hip hop culture. It features live pe ...
'' in September 2005. All three women reunited the following year for the next ''Hip Hop Honors'' program and performed "Whatta Man" with En Vogue. It was the trio's first performance in six years, and was their first performance of "Whatta Man" with En Vogue on stage. Salt-N-Pepa reformed in 2007. All three women now have children. Spinderella has a daughter, with former NBA player
Kenny Anderson, who has appeared on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's ''
My Super Sweet Sixteen
''My Super Sweet 16'' is an American reality television series documenting the lives of teenagers, usually in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, generally with wealthy parents who throw lavish, excessive and expensive coming-of-age ce ...
'' in 2008. Pepa has a son and a daughter, her daughter being fathered by rapper
Treach
Anthony Criss (born December 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Treach, is an American rapper and actor. He is perhaps best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.
Career
With Naughty by Nature, Treach worked ...
. Salt has a daughter and a son with former husband Gavin Wray.
On October 14, 2007, ''
The Salt-N-Pepa Show
''The Salt-N-Pepa Show'', which premiered on October 14, 2007 on VH1, is a reality show documenting the events from the life of Salt-n-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed i ...
'' debuted on
VH1. Pepa had previously appeared on a different show on the network called ''The Surreal Life''. ''The Salt-N-Pepa Show'' chronicled events in the lives of Pepa and Salt as they work out past issues. Spinderella has been featured in several episodes. Later in 2008, the trio performed at the
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and w ...
. That August, Pepa released an autobiography titled ''Let's Talk About Pep'', co-written by Karen Hunter, which features an introduction by
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
and an epilogue by
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
. To accompany the book, she launched her own social network for fans and also starred in the reality TV series ''Let's Talk About Pep'' on VH1.
On May 9, 2009, Salt-N-Pepa performed at the Ladies of the 80s concert in Honolulu, which also featured
SWV
SWV (Sisters with Voices) is an American R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B g ...
and
Lisa Lisa
Lisa Velez (born January 15, 1967), better known by her stage name Lisa Lisa, is an American singer. She rose to fame in the 1980s as one-third of the band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam.
Early life
According to Spin Magazine, ''Spin'' magazine, Velez ...
. They performed at the Good Vibrations Festival in Australia in February 2010, and the South West Four Festival, Clapham Common, London on August 29, 2010. On October 12, 2010, Salt-N-Pepa received the I Am Hip Hop Award at the
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and w ...
.
On February 4, 2011, Salt-N-Pepa headed on a national tour titled Salt-N-Pepa's Legends of Hip Hop Tour. Other acts on the tour included
Whodini
Whodini is an American hip hop group that was formed in 1982. The Brooklyn, New York-based trio consisted of vocalist and main lyricist Jalil Hutchins; co-vocalist John Fletcher, a.k.a. Ecstasy (who wore a Zorro-style hat as his trademark; Ju ...
,
Rob Base
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock were an American hip hop duo from Harlem, New York City. Rob Base is the stage name of Robert Ginyard (b. 1967) and DJ E-Z Rock was Rodney "Skip" Bryce (1967–2014). They are best known for the 1988 hit " It Takes Two", ...
,
Kurtis Blow
Kurtis Walker (born August 9, 1959), professionally known by his stage name Kurtis Blow, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record/film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker and minister. He is the first commercially successful rapper a ...
,
Doug E Fresh
Doug E. Fresh (born September 17, 1966) is a Barbados-born American rapper, record producer, and beatboxing, beatboxer, also known as the "Human Beat Box". The pioneer of 20th-century American beatboxing, Fresh is able to accurately imitate drum ...
,
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 – July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer. Markie was best known for his 1989 single "Just a Friend", which became a Top 40 hit in ...
,
Naughty By Nature,
MC Lyte
Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first ...
,
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy (born September 10, 1968), better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hi ...
,
Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese (born August 8, 1962), better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American rapper, writer and actor. Considered one of the forerunners of the new jack swing sound in hip hop, he gained fame in the 1980s as a member of one ...
,
Slick Rick
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer.
He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs " The Show" and " ...
, and
Chubb Rock
Richard Simpson, also known as Chubb Rock (born May 28, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York) is a New York-based rapper who released several successful hip hop albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A National Merit Scholar, Chubb Rock dropped out o ...
. On November 21, 2011, Salt-N-Pepa appeared on
''The X Factor'' Australia's third season with contestant and finalist
Johnny Ruffo
John Patrick Ruffo (born 8 March 1988) is an Australian singer, songwriter, dancer, actor and television presenter notable for being a finalist on the The X Factor (Australia season 3), third season of ''The X Factor (Australian TV series), The ...
. They performed "Push It". On July 30, 2012, Salt-N-Pepa opened for rap group
Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...
in Brooklyn, New York as part of the
Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series
The Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series is a summer concert series held in Brooklyn at Wingate Park since the 1980s. Tons of artist have performed at this concert series including Public Enemy, Bootsy, New Edition, Heads Of State
A ...
.
The trio made a November 2014 appearance in a Geico insurance commercial performing "Push It". Salt-N-Pepa appeared on the December 18, 2015 episode of
The Wendy Williams Show
''The Wendy Williams Show'' (often shortened to ''Wendy'') is an American syndicated talk show created and hosted by Wendy Williams, and produced by Wendy Williams Productions, along with Perler Productions. The show is distributed by Debmar-Me ...
performing "Push It". The performance started out with
Wendy Williams
Wendy Williams Hunter ( Wendy Joan Williams; born July 18, 1964) is an American broadcaster and writer. From 2008 to 2021, she hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show ''The Wendy Williams Show.''
Prior to television, Williams ...
pretending to be the DJ, thus Spinderella ultimately assumed the duties. This was an allude to the fact that Roper, Williams, and several other women had auditioned for the part of DJ in the group back in 1987; the DJ role ultimately being won by Roper. The group's hit song "Shoop" made a comeback on February 12, 2016, as one of the theme songs featured in the blockbuster Marvel movie
''Deadpool''. The trio performed in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada for Westerner Days at the Enmax Centrium on July 21, 2016.
In 2017–2018, the group toured as part of the I Love the 90's tour, performing in various locations, including in the UK Wembley Arena, Glasgow SSE,
Liverpool Echo Arena
Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena, and previously Echo Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and ...
and Birmingham. On October 16, 2018, Salt-N-Pepa appeared on the U.S. version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'', with Kid N Play serving as their "plus one" in-studio lifeline.
In March 2019, it was announced that Salt-N-Pepa would have a biographical miniseries coming to the
Lifetime network, highlighting the rise of the group to become one of the first successful female rap groups in hip hop. Queen Latifah, as well as Salt-N-Pepa will be executive producers of the series.
On May 2, 2019, the Mixtape Tour commenced in Cincinnati, Ohio. Performers on this tour include Salt-N-Pepa,
Debbie Gibson
Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress.
Gibson released her debut album '' Out of the Blue'' in 1987, which spawned several international hits, later being certified triple plati ...
,
Tiffany, and
Naughty by Nature, with
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
being billed as the headline performers. The next day, DJ Spinderella announced in an Instagram post that she had been "terminated" from Salt-N-Pepa as of January, and broke her silence after the band hadn't publicly announced their parting ways with her.
DJ Cocoa Chanelle
Cocoa Chanelle is an American DJ, recording artist and radio personality. She has worked as an on-air personality and mix show DJ on New York City's Hip Hop radio station HOT 97 and Kiss FM. She has worked in television, being the first DJ to b ...
, formerly of BET Networks and
HOT 97
WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared service ...
, became the replacement DJ.
On January 23, 2021,
Lifetime released an eponymous biopic, directed by
Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin Va ...
, which starred GG Townson as Salt, Laila Odom as Pepa, Monique Jasmine Paul as DJ Spinderella, Cleveland Berto as Herbie, Daniel Keith Morrison as MC Hammer, Denver Taylor as Martin Lawrence, Bronson Phillip Lake as Christopher "Kid" Reid, and Devante Senior as Christopher "Play" Martin. Salt-N-Pepa serve as the executive producers while
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
serves as a producer. A "Special Edition" of the film was released on January 23, 2021.
On November 4, 2022, Salt-N-Pepa were honored with a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
, located by the
Amoeba Music
Amoeba Music is an American independent music store chain with locations in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1990 in Berkeley, California, and remains in operation, having survived the decline o ...
store on
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
. DJ Spinderella joined the induction ceremony.
Discography
* ''
Hot, Cool & Vicious
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Released by Next Plateau Records on December 8, 1986, it was one of the first albums to be released by an all-female rap group.
''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' ...
'' (1986)
* ''
A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on August 2, 1988, by London Records and Next Plateau Records. The album reached number 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number eight on the ...
'' (1988)
* ''
Blacks' Magic
''Blacks' Magic'' is the third studio album by American Hip Hop music, hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on March 19, 1990, by Next Plateau Entertainment, Next Plateau Records and London Records. A critical and commercial success, the album peak ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Very Necessary
''Very Necessary'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on October 12, 1993, by Next Plateau Records and London Records. The album spawned four singles, including " Shoop" (their first top-five single on the ...
'' (1993)
* ''
Brand New'' (1997)
Awards and nominations
, -
!scope="row" rowspan= "2" ,
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, rowspan= "5" , Salt-N-Pepa
, Favorite Soul/R&B Band, Duo, or Group
,
, -
, rowspan= "3" , Favorite Hip-Hop Artist
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan= "4" ,
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, -
,
, -
, Favorite R&B/Soul Duo or Group
,
, -
, "
Whatta Man
"What a Man" is a song written by Dave Crawford, and originally recorded for Stax Records' Volt imprint by Linda Lyndell, whose recording reached number 50 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1968. The song was sampled and reinterpreted as "Whatt ...
" (with
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
)
, Favorite Soul/R&B Single
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" ,
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, "
Push It"
,
Best Rap Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...
,
, -
!scope="row" ,
1992
File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, "
Let's Talk About Sex
"Let's Talk About Sex" is a song by American hip hop trio Salt-n-Pepa, released in August 1991 as a single from their third studio album, ''Blacks' Magic'' (1990). It achieved great success in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Germ ...
"
, rowspan= "2" ,
Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance.
The award was discontinue ...
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan= "2",
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, "
None of Your Business
"None of Your Business" is the third single released from Salt-n-Pepa's fourth studio album, ''Very Necessary''. It was written and produced by Hurby Azor and earned the group its first Grammy Award.
The song is included on the 1996 ''Barb Wire ...
"
,
, -
, "
Whatta Man
"What a Man" is a song written by Dave Crawford, and originally recorded for Stax Records' Volt imprint by Linda Lyndell, whose recording reached number 50 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart in 1968. The song was sampled and reinterpreted as "Whatt ...
" (with
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
)
,
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group
,
, -
!scope="row" ,
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, "
Champagne
Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
"
, rowspan= "2" , Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" , 2022
, Salt-N-Pepa
,
Star
A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma (physics), plasma held together by its gravity. The List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs, nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked ...
in the category of music
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" rowspan= "3" ,
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, rowspan= "3" , "Whatta Man" (with
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
)
, Best Dance Video
,
, -
, Best R&B Video
,
, -
, rowspan= "2" , Best Choreography In A Video
,
, -
!scope="row" rowspan= "2" ,
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, rowspan= "2" , "
None of Your Business
"None of Your Business" is the third single released from Salt-n-Pepa's fourth studio album, ''Very Necessary''. It was written and produced by Hurby Azor and earned the group its first Grammy Award.
The song is included on the 1996 ''Barb Wire ...
"
,
, -
, Best Dance Video
,
, -
, -
!scope="row", 1989
, Salt-N-Pepa
, Favorite Female Musician
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" ,
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, "
A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
''A Salt with a Deadly Pepa'' is the second studio album by American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa, released on August 2, 1988, by London Records and Next Plateau Records. The album reached number 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number eight on the ...
"
, Best Rap Album
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" , 1995
, Salt-N-Pepa
, Entertainer of the Year
,
, -
, -
!scope="row" , 2005
, Salt-N-Pepa
, Honoree
,
, -
!scope="row" , 2016
, Salt-N-Pepa
, Honoree
,
, -
See also
*
List of best-selling girl groups
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmony, harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the The Boswell Sisters, Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the t ...
*
List of honorific titles in popular music
When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or (most frequently) royal and aristocratic titles, used met ...
References
;Bibliography
*
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
1985 establishments in New York City
African-American women rappers
African-American feminists
African-American girl groups
American feminists
American dance girl groups
American musical trios
East Coast hip hop groups
Feminist musicians
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Hip hop groups from New York City
Musical groups established in 1985
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Musical groups reestablished in 2005
Pop-rap groups
London Records artists
PolyGram artists
Vocal trios
Women hip hop groups