Sandra Denton
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Sandra Jacqueline Denton (born 9 November 1964 or 1969), better known by her stage name Pepa or Pep, is a Jamaican-American rapper, best known for her work as a member of the female rap trio
Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, ''Hot, C ...
. Denton starred in ''
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 ...
'', a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group which aired on the VH1 network in 2008. Since January 2016, Denton has appeared as a supporting cast member on the music
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
show ''
Growing Up Hip Hop ''Growing Up Hip Hop'' is the original installment of the ''Growing Up Hip Hop'' reality television franchise on WE tv. The series premiered on January 7, 2016, and chronicles the lives of the children of hip hop legends. Its success has led to th ...
'' which airs on
We TV We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming. As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
.


Early life

Sandra Jacqueline Denton was born in
Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
to Charles and Enid Denton (née Hyacinth), the youngest of eight children. Denton lived on a farm in Jamaica with her grandmother until she was six years old. Denton's family moved to
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
, New York, when she was three; and she later joined them. Denton has been a performer since childhood. Denton was molested as a child. Denton released a book about her life in 2008 entitled ''Let's Talk About Pep'' in which she talked about being molested, her many abusive relationships, and how Salt-N-Pepa formed. In 1979, 15-year-old Denton was sent to live with her elder sister Patsy in
Logan, Utah Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The 2020 census recorded the population was 52,778. Logan is the county seat of Cache County and the principal city of the Logan metropolitan area, which includes Cache County and Franklin ...
, when her family home in Queens caught fire and so she could have a better life. According to Denton, she was the only Black student attending Logan High School during that time. Denton became inspired by
rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
; citing
AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...
and
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
as her inspirations during her time in Utah. After a year in Utah, Denton returned to New York, later graduating from
Springfield Gardens High School Springfield Gardens High School was a public 4–year high school located in the Springfield Gardens section in the New York City borough of Queens. The school was opened in 1965. Closed in 2007, The Springfield Gardens High School building is now ...
. After high school, Denton enrolled at
Queensborough Community College Queensborough Community College (QCC) is a community college in Bayside, Queens, New York. One of seven community colleges within the City University of New York (CUNY) system, Queensborough enrolls more than 12,000 students and more than 7 ...
to study
nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
. While attending college, Denton met fellow nursing student
Cheryl James Cheryl Renee James (born March 28, 1966), better known by her stage name Salt, is an American rapper. She is best known as a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa, which also includes Pepa ( Sandra Denton) and Spinderella ( Deidra "Dee Dee" ...
.


Career

With the production by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor whom she and James met while working as customer service representatives at
Sears Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began a ...
, James and Denton released a single called "The Showstopper" which became a moderate R&B hit in late 1985. They were joined with Latoya Hanson who was the original DJ of the group. Shortly after in 1986, Deidra "Spinderella" Roper joined as the group's DJ as a full-length 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 being released. The trio released a total of five studio albums: ''Hot, Cool, and 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 group Salt-N-Pepa, released on March 19, 1990, by Next Plateau Records and London Records. A critical and commercial success, the album peaked at number 38 on the US ''Billboard' ...
'' (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), and '' Brand New'' (1997), plus several greatest hits albums. Salt-N-Pepa disbanded in 2002, several months after their ''Brand New'' album was released on Red Ant Records. Denton's co-group member Cheryl James had stated she was ready to leave the music industry. The trio reunited for a performance 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 ...
'' program on 22 September 2005. In 2005, Denton was a cast member of VH1'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 ...
'' (season 5). Denton's acting credits also include the motion picture ''
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 ...
'', an appearance in the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
movie ''First Time Felon'', and a stint as Officer Andrea Phelan on the HBO drama, '' Oz''. She starred on '' The Surreal Life: Fame Games''. Salt-N-Pepa reformed in 2008, and are still in the process of releasing an album since reforming as they work out past issues. Denton teamed up with James for VH1's ''
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 ...
''. She starred in her own reality show on the network entitled ''
Let's Talk About Pep ''Let's Talk About Pep'' is an American reality television series that aired for one season from January 11 until March 1, 2010. Premise Cast *Sandra "Pep" Denton * Joumana Kidd *Jacque Reid *Kali Troy Kali Bianca Troy (born March 7, 1971 ...
'', word-play on the group's hit 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, Ge ...
". She can be heard speaking Jamaican Patois in the song " Need U Bad" by
Jazmine Sullivan Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifie ...
. In August 2008, Denton released her autobiography, which was also entitled ''Let's Talk About Pep''. It was co-written by
Karen Hunter Karen Hunter (born April 24, 1966) is an American journalist and publisher, talk show host, and the co-author of several books. Hunter is the host of ''The Karen Hunter Show'' on SiriusXM Urban View. Early life and education Born and raised in ...
, and it offered a look behind the fame, family, failures, and successes of her life in one of hip-hop's most successful groups. It 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 accommodate the book, Pepa launched her own social network for her fans. On 23 October 2008, Salt-N-Pepa performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards. In January 2011, Denton appeared in an episode of the TBS sitcom '' Are We There Yet?'' as Tammy, a woman who falls for the
Terry Crews Terry Alan Crews (born July 30, 1968) is an American actor, television host, and former American footballer. He played Julius Rock in the UPN/ CW sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris'', which aired from 2005 to 2009, and portrayed Terry Jeffords ...
character of Nick. Denton joined the reality television show ''
Growing Up Hip Hop ''Growing Up Hip Hop'' is the original installment of the ''Growing Up Hip Hop'' reality television franchise on WE tv. The series premiered on January 7, 2016, and chronicles the lives of the children of hip hop legends. Its success has led to th ...
'' as a supporting cast member in January 2016 along with her daughter Egypt (a main cast member) and niece Tahira Francis.


Personal life

Denton once dated and was engaged to rapper
Prince Markie Dee Mark Anthony Morales (February 19, 1968 – February 18, 2021), better known by the stage name Prince Markie Dee, was an American rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and radio personality. Morales was a member of the Fat Boys, a pioneering hip ...
sometime during the mid-1980s. On 6 July 1990, Denton gave birth to her first child, a son she had with New York rapper Tyran "Tah-Tah" Moore whom she named Tyran Jr. Denton. She made a guest appearance on ''
Ricki Lake Ricki Pamela Lake (born September 21, 1968) is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film ''Hairspray'', for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for B ...
'' in 1994, teaching teenage girls the responsibilities of being a mother. Denton was the owner of HollyHood, a retail clothing store in the Buckhead section of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, which opened in November 1995. On 2 April 1999, Denton married
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 ...
(whose real name is Anthony Criss) of the rap group Naughty by Nature at a Kansas City tattoo parlor after dating on and off for seven years. Their wedding ceremony was held at their home in
Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a town and the county seat of Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...
, on 24 July 1999. Denton and Treach had one daughter, Egypt Jahnari Criss (born 2 September 1998). After allegations of physical abuse inflicted by Treach, they divorced in 2001.


Discography

;Studio albums * ''
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 group Salt-N-Pepa, released on March 19, 1990, by Next Plateau Records and London Records. A critical and commercial success, the album peaked at number 38 on the US ''Billboard' ...
'' (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)


Filmography


References


External links


Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pepa 1960s births Age controversies American rappers of Jamaican descent Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican rappers People from Queens, New York Jamaican emigrants to the United States Living people East Coast hip hop musicians Rappers from New York City Queensborough Community College alumni American women rappers 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American women musicians 21st-century women rappers