Salt-N-Pepa
- Formed in 1985 in New York City by Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, who met while studying nursing at Queensborough Community College.
- Their first single, “The Show Stoppa (Is Stupid Fresh),” was released in 1985 under the name Super Nature.
- Released Hot, Cool & Vicious in 1986, which sold over 1 million copies in the U.S., making them the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status by the RIAA.
- Known for chart-topping hits like “Push It,” “Shoop,” “Whatta Man” (featuring En Vogue), and “Let’s Talk About Sex.”
- Won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “None of Your Business,” becoming one of the first female rap acts to win a Grammy.
- Their 1993 album Very Necessary sold over 7 million copies worldwide, making it the highest-selling rap album by a female act at the time.
- Their music often addressed social issues, including women’s empowerment and safe sex, notably with the song “Let’s Talk About Sex.”
- Hiatus and Reunion: The group took a hiatus in 2002 and reunited in 2005.
In 2025, Salt-N-Pepa filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group to reclaim the rights to their master recordings, including hits like “Push It” and “Shoop.” - Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025 in the Musical Influence category.
- Recognized as trailblazers for women in hip-hop, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry and influencing future generations of female artists.