Salt-N-Pepa

For other uses, see Salt and pepper (disambiguation).

Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa performing at the Canberra Theatre in Australia, 2013
Salt-N-Pepa performing at the Canberra Theatre in Australia, 2013
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1985–2002
  • 2005–present
Labels
Members
Past members
Websitesaltnpepa.com

Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985,[3][4][5] that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, 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 (RIAA).[6] 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 (1988), was certified gold by the RIAA. The Trio's third album, Blacks' Magic (1990), featured the singles "Expression" and "Let's Talk About Sex". In 1993, they released the album, Very Necessary, which sold more than 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.[6][7] The album included the hit singles "Shoop" and "Whatta Man" with En Vogue. They won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for their song "None of Your Business", making them one of the first female rap acts to win a Grammy Award, along with Queen Latifah, who won later during the same ceremony.[8] In 2021, they won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Salt-N-Pepa have sold more than 15 million records worldwide,[9] 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".[10]

  1. ^ Jaynes, Gerald D. (February 1, 2005). Encyclopedia of African American Society. SAGE Publications. ISBN 9781452265414 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Salt-N-Pepa Biography". MusicianGuide.com.
  3. ^ Elafros 2007, pp. 193–194.
  4. ^ ""Ladies First": Queen Latifah's Afrocentric Feminist Music Video" (PDF). African American Review. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  5. ^ Elafros 2007, p. 196.
  6. ^ a b Sorcinelli, Gino (January 20, 2017), Salt-N-Pepa Outsold Wu-Tang, So Why Don't We Talk About Them More?. Medium. Retrieved on February 28, 2019
  7. ^ Ross, Erik (May 18, 2013), The 50 Best Selling Rap Albums of All Time. Complex. Retrieved on February 28, 2019
  8. ^ "Rock On The Net: 37th Annual Grammy Awards - 1995". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  9. ^ Salt N Pepa Announce Australian Tour. Beat Magazine. Retrieved on February 28, 2019
  10. ^ Orcutt, KC (March 10, 2016), First Ladies Of Rap: Salt-N-Pepa. Source Magazine. Retrieved on February 28, 2019.