Salt-N-Pepa was one of the first all-female rap groups and arguably one of the best. These ground breaking Queens ushered in a new era of hip hop in 1985, speaking up for women and addressing issues previously considered taboo.
Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandy “Pepa” Denton met as nursing students at Queensborough Community College and worked together at a Sears in Queens, New York. They were joined by Deirdra “DJ Spinderella” Roper early on in their music career. The group’s breakout song, “Push It”, reached the top 10 in eleven countries around the world in 1988. The three went on to become the first female rap act to go platinum, they racked up multiple Grammy Awards along the way.
These barrier breaking multi award winners have sold over 15 million records worldwide. In 2021 they’ll receive both a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In the male dominated world of hip hop, Salt-n-Pepa paved the way for future female rap artists to bring their voices to the game.
If you like this story, check out Georgia’s honorioum on Queen Latifa.
Links to Learn:
Lifetime spotlights a pioneering rap act in ‘Salt-N-Pepa’
Salt-N-Pepa Website – www.saltnpepa.com
Salt-N-Pepa Instagram – saltnpepaofficial
Sources:
Salt-N-Pepa: Our Life in 15 Songs – Rolling Stone
