Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens, New York, that
was formed in 1985.
The group, consisting of Cheryl James ("Salt", now Cheryl
Wray), Sandra Denton ("Pepa"), and Deidra "Dee Dee" Roper
(Spinderella), has sold over 15 million albums and singles worldwide.
Originally calling themselves Super Nature (on their first single),
James and Denton debuted in 1985 with the single "The Showstopper",
an answer record to Doug E. Fresh's hit single "The Show"."The
Showstopper" was produced by Hurby Azor. The song utilized a
melody from the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. The finished recording
garnered some airplay on a New York City rap radio program. The independent
Pop Art Records gave it an official release, and "The Showstopper" became
a modest R&B hit.
With the success of this song, the group's name was changed to Salt-N-Pepa
(which they had called themselves in the first verse of the song)
and they signed to the independent Next Plateau Records to record
a full-length album. Roper then joined the group as the DJ, replacing
DJ Latoya Hanson as Spinderella, and the group's first album
Hot, Cool & Vicious was released afterwards in 1986. The album
was produced by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, Salt's boyfriend
at the time and also the group's manager. Years later, the women
would have legal issues with Azor as they accused him of paying unfair
royalties.
Hot, Cool & Vicious provided some moderate R&B hits with
the singles "My Mic Sound Nice", "Tramp", and "Chick
On The Side". 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.[1] "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,
and the strength of that single catapulted the album to platinum
sales in the US with one million sold, making Denton, James, and
Roper the first female rap act (group or solo) to go gold or platinum.[citation
needed] The album ultimately sold 1.3 million copies worldwide.[citation
needed]
[edit] A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa's next album release, 1988's A Salt with a Deadly Pepa,
contained the Top Ten R&B hit and moderate pop hit "Shake
Your Thang", featuring the go-go band E.U. A top 20 R&B
hit and a minor pop hit were also seen in "Everybody Get Up" and "Twist
and Shout" (UK #4), respectively; with "Twist and Shout" becoming
a major hit in the UK on the UK Singles Chart,[5] and several other
European countries. The album sold about 800,000 copies worldwide
with roughly 600,000 of those in the US, attaining gold status.[citation
needed]
[edit] Blacks' Magic
The group's third album Blacks' Magic was released in March 1990,
and was a personal album for the trio on many fronts. Pepa would
become the first group member to become pregnant. The group's producer
Azor would produce some songs on the album. But often late or a no
show to recording sessions, as he was producing other acts, he agreed
to let the artists work with different producers to finish the album.
James and Roper took on producing assignments themselves and the
trio also hired different producers such as Invincible's producer
Dana Mozie. This was the first album to feature Roper on vocals as
well as DJ'ing. 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 that had
been certified gold before it even cracked the US Hot 100 as it had
already been #1 on the R&B Chart for 8 weeks, and produced by
Salt; "Independent"; "I Don't Know" (featuring
Kid N Play); "Do You Want Me" (US #21, UK #5), certified
gold; "Let's Talk About Sex" (US #13, UK #2), certified
gold, and later re-recorded as "Let's Talk About Aids";
and "You Showed Me" (UK #15). The album ultimately sold
1.6 million copies worldwide with a million of those sold in the
US.[citation needed] 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 was subsequently released.
[edit] Very Necessary
Salt-N-Pepa's fourth studio album Very Necessary was released in
October 1993 on London Records/Polygram.[5] The album featured songwriting
and production by Salt, Pepa, Spinderella, and Azor. Buoyed by the
hits "Shoop" (US #4, UK #13), co-produced by Pepa; "Whatta
Man" (US #3, UK #7) (featuring En Vogue); and "None of
Your Business", a Top 40 US hit and a Top 20 UK hit, the album
eventually sold seven million worldwide, with five million of those
in the US (5x platinum), making them the first female rap act (solo
or group) to have a multi-platinum selling album. The group toured
and Salt went on to co-star in the motion picture comedy Who's the
Man?. Pepa co-starred in the movie Joe's Apartment. Pepa had also
been romantically involved with Treach of the rap group Naughty By
Nature. The trio won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in
1995 for the single "None Of Your Business", making them
the first female rap Grammy winners. The album is the best selling
album by a female rap act.[citation needed]
[edit] Brand New
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, romantically
and business-wise. Having now broken away from Azor, the trio signed
with Red Ant Entertainment and undertook production duties once again,
this time without Azor. Their fifth album, Brand New (1997) released
on Red Ant (distributed by Island Black Music) hit stores a few months
later. However, Red Ant filed for bankruptcy soon afterwards, halting
promotion on all its releases, including Salt-N-Pepa's album. The
group toured in support of the album, but without any promotion or
marketing from the now-defunct label, they only scored minor hits
such as "R U Ready" and "Gitty Up". The album
sold 700,000 copies worldwide with 500,000 of those in the US, being
certified gold. Although not as big a seller as its predecessor,
Salt-N-Pepa kept intact an unbroken string of gold and platinum studio
album releases.
[edit] Disbanding
In March 1999, Salt-N-Pepa embarked on a tour. Pepa married Treach
of Naughty By Nature on July 27, 1999, earning them the unofficial
title of hip-hop's number-one couple. Salt-N-Pepa's greatest-hits
album, entitled Salt-N-Pepa: The Best Of, was released in Europe
on January 25, 2000. Pepa and Treach would remain married for two
years but their tumultuous marriage would end in divorce on July
31, 2001. With no albums contractually due at the time, Salt decided
to quit the group, stating she had enough with 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 be releasing her
first solo album, but she subsequently did not release the product.
She was featured on the remix version of the Salt City Six's "Shine",
on the album Holy South: World Wide, a compilation of Christian rap
and Christian R&P (Rhythm & Praise) songs. The album was
executive produced by ex-Three 6 Mafia member turned Christian rapper
Mr. Del. Salt also revealed in later interviews that she had suffered
from bulimia many years ago.
Pepa appeared on the fifth season of VH-1's The Surreal Life. She
released an autobiography entitled Let's Talk About Pep in August
2008. The book was co-written by author Karen Hunter and offers a
glimpse behind the fame, family, failures, and successes of Pepa's
life, as well as being a member of one of hip-hop's most successful
acts. It features an introduction by Queen Latifah, and an epilogue
by Missy Elliott. To accompany the book, she also launched her own
social network for her fans at http://www.LetsTalkAboutPep.com. She
also starred in the reality TV series Let's Talk About Pep on the
VH-1 network.
Spinderella is a radio personality on KKBT 100.3 in Los Angeles,
California. 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 club events.
[edit] Reforming
Both Salt and Pepa appeared on VH-1's Hip Hop Honors in November
2004, as the trio were honorees. 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 ever.[6] Salt-N-Pepa reformed in 2007. All three women now
have children. Spinderella has a daughter with former NBA player
Kenny Anderson. Her daughter has appeared on MTV's My Super Sweet
Sixteen in 2008. Pepa has a son and a daughter. Salt has a daughter
and a son.
On October 14, 2007, The Salt-n-Pepa Show debuted on VH1. Pepa initially
started the formation of the series as she had previously appeared
on the network in The Surreal Life. The Salt-n-Pepa Show chronicled
events in the lives of Pepa and Salt as they work out past issues
and return to the recording studio. Spinderella has been featured
in several episodes. Later in 2008, the trio performed with MC Lyte,
Yo-Yo, and Lady of Rage at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
On May 9, 2009 Salt-N-Pepa performed a concert in Honolulu, Hawaii
along with SWV and Lisa Lisa. The name of the show was 'Ladies of
the 80s'. They performed at the Good Vibrations festival in Australia
in February 2010,[7] and the South West Four Festival, Clapham Common,
London on August 29, 2010.[8]
On October 12, 2010 Salt-N-Pepa received the I Am Hip Hop Award
at the Bet Hip Hop Awards. It was presented to them by Monique
On February 4, 2011 Salt N Pepa headed out on a national tour entitled
Salt N Pepa's Legends of Hip Hop Tour. (More info on www.Hiphoplegends.com)
Other acts on the tour included: Whodini, Rob Base, Kurtis Blow,
Doug E Fresh, Biz Markie, Naughty By Nature, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane,
Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick and Chubb Rock.
[edit] Discography
Main article: Salt-n-Pepa discography
1986: Hot, Cool & Vicious
1988: A Salt with a Deadly Pepa
1990: Blacks' Magic
1993: Very Necessary
1997: Brand New
[edit] Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
1995: Favorite Hip-Hop Artist (nominated)
1995: Favorite R&B/Soul Duo or Group, (nominated)
Grammy Awards
1989: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Push It" (nominated)
1992: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Let's Talk About Sex" (nominated)
1995: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Whatta Man" (w/
En Vogue) (nominated)
1995: Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "None of Your Business"(winner)
MTV Video Music Awards
1994: Best Dance Video "Whatta Man" -winner
1994: Best R&B Video "Whatta Man" - winner
1994: Best Choreography In A Video "Whatta Man" - winner
1995: Best Dance Video "None of Your Business" (nominated)
2nd Annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors Honoree