The first time Salt-N-Pepa heard themselves on the radio is something they can recall. So how could they possibly not? Sandra “Pepa” Denton stepped out of the car without waiting.
During the time when rap music was only broadcast for one hour on Saturdays, the now-iconic hip-hop trio was traveling about Queens in Denton’s beat-up Datsun when it occurred.
Cheryl said, “I don’t even think we were thinking about it right now. James utters the word “salt”. “Perhaps assuming they won’t even play it. Then it was heard by us. Pep leaped from the vehicle.
Pepa continues, “Put that thing in park.” “I exclaimed, ‘Ah! We’re on the radio!’” I found it hard to believe. I leaped about. I climbed up onto the hood. There was a booze store there, and people were curious as to what was going on. I said, “We’re on the radio!”
Since then, the trio—originally made up of James, Denton, and DJ Spinderella—has established itself as a key figure in the history of hip-hop, becoming the first female artists in the genre to achieve platinum sales status with 1986’s Hot, Cool, and Vicious and the first female artists (alongside Queen Latifah that same night) to win a Grammy for best rap album in 1995.
Salt-N-Pepa pondered on their heritage and where they are now, rocking the mike without cords connected, in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and their recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Holla If Ya Hear Me” exhibit.
What does it mean to each of you personally that hip-hop has been around for 50 years?
Pepa: I come from a period of time that I can still clearly remember. It’s the 1980s, but did you ever worry if hip-hop would endure? They frequently conducted those interviews back when they had little knowledge of this particular song, genre, or situation. We came from an era where Salt-N-Pepa were dancing with corded microphones, so to be here and then have many of our friends who are still here, who have been through it, come on today.
Salt: Even after being in this genre and being successful for so long, I’m constantly in awe because we have so many bookings and are so busy. And I had always had the conviction that Salt N Pepa would be a success. But I never imagined that we would still be touring and performing in our fifties, perhaps just as frequently as we ever did. That so serves as evidence of the strength of the culture and of how enthusiastically people adore and embrace it. When we perform and see millennials, Gen Z, and children of the 1980s and 1990s who are familiar with our music, we immediately ask, “What are you guys doing here?” Grandma, the mother, and the daughter are also present. We occasionally have three generations. It’s therefore a blessing.
And how much does it remind you of the times when people doubted whether this milestone would survive when you think about it?
That was the query, salt. It was really aggravating, as Pep mentioned. We said, “We have no idea. Just here going about our business. We had no real idea. Hip-hop won’t endure this long, we wouldn’t say. We said, “It’s new music, liberating music for young people, and we hope it lasts.” but was clueless.
Pepa: especially when leaving the park traffic congestion. I just returned from the park where they connected the turntables and connected the light’s energy. Then comes your neighborhood’s talented MC. Then that was a product of that time. It’s amazing, and you can’t help but reflect on that time spent in the park and seeing the-
And at that very time, “Rappers Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang began to play on the radio. I used to reside in Brooklyn, directly across from a park. Although I was too young to hang out in the park, I could hear the music because Bushwick High School was across the street from me and a park was located behind it. It was so contagious, I thought, “I’ve got to be there.” Because of the park crowds, I would sneak into the park to Pepa’s point. When my mother picked me up to leave the park, the DJ would announce, “Cheryl, your mom, Barbara James is here.” I experienced this many than once, but I always enjoyed the music, the culture, and what I was doing. The B-boy twist, as Pep mentioned, was simply like, “What is this?” And I had to be nearby.
What does it feel like to be a part of it at this point in your lives when you visit an exhibit like “Holla If Ya Hear Me” and you see your faces?
Salt: I’m aware. And among them, there were the Roxannés, the Chuck Ds, the LLs, and the Flavas. and to be included in an exhibition. For that and for that legacy, you toil. Salt-N-Pepa has been fortunate. Hey, this timeless music is killing it. And in regards to the exhibit, as you said, it’s about achieving and completing your goals. It’s just… wow. Who thought we’d become hip-hop’s Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight? It’s like our careers have come full circle at this point. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be our next honor after the platinum, all the awards, the Lifetime Achievement award, and the Walk of Fame. Additionally, throughout our careers, we were HIV and AIDS campaigners. We have enduring music, which has been around forever. In a way, the 50th anniversary celebration feels like a full circle. And I believe that because of how significantly it affected society, we should be extremely proud of the legacy we left behind.
Pepa: Agreed. And just the overall effect, not just in music. You can mix hip-hop with gospel, country, and other genres of music on television, product placements, and just about any other type of music.
Salt: It’s like you had no idea it would become a culture. I found it helpful when the term “culture” was used since, as Pep pointed out, it encompasses all of these other fields, including advertising, clothing, and fashion. Hip-hop was given fun, style, and femininity by us, and now it permeates every aspect of entertainment.
Is there a particular style that you both favored over the years and still cherish today?
For me, the “Push It” appearance with its storied past is the most recognizable. Play created the coats, and Dapper Dan made them. Making Kente hats in Harlem, just next to the Apollo, was Mary Bird. With our little sexy spandex and favorite boots, honey, we threw that hat on there. cheap boots in favor. That was when we were assembling our own gear. Door knocker earrings and a thick rope chain. Amazing.
Pepa: Well, I actually had two; one is asymmetrical and has a head tilt. However, I must give credit to our “Shake Your Thing” song and music video with the cut-off jeans because it was not our song or video that became successful; rather, it was only the idea that “Well that’s probably, maybe they got it from us.” But all I’m saying is that we should establish a trend where we simply sit down, tear up some jeans, put on some spandex, and have a complete video look that we put together ourselves.
Salt: Back then, you just made it up as you went along, so it was great. You build iconic looks in this manner. They are from the street and use the influences from Brooklyn, Queens, or wherever they are from to create something that endures for all time. Thank God, we now have hairdressers for our hair, cosmetics, and clothing.
The first platinum record by a woman in hip-hop was “Hot, Cool and Vicious.” Did you have any sense that you were writing history with it? Or did that something not come until much later?
Salt: In my opinion, the song “Push It” and the accompanying music video were the turning point because they were the B-side to the song “Tramp.” The track “Tramp” was the one we were promoting, and a DJ simply flipped it around and started playing it. And because the song was so contagious, it basically took off on its own without any payola or record-pushing. I still believe it to be the most well-known Salt-N-Pepa song. Even if you don’t know who Salt-N-Pepa are, if you mention the song “Push It,” people will recognize it since it’s still catchy today.
I find this anecdote to be hilarious. So they were utilizing music therapy to try and mate sharks. They experimented with a variety of tunes before playing “Push It,” which prompted the sharks to begin mating. Tell me that now. Although we didn’t consider anything else when we created “Push It,” we were talking about dancing. However, it seems that sharks were.
