Salt-N-Pepa‘s Cheryl “Salt” James opened up about how she was treated as a young artist in the music industry. Billboard received an exclusive clip from a new of the Tamron Hall Show where the two legendary artist reflected on being a mother and still being able to dominate the game at the same time.
During the clip Hall brought up how critics typically tell women they can’t balance motherhood with having a successful career. “They still sayin’ that?” Sandra Denton, aka Pepa said. “And that was why we are true to who we are. They could recognize ’cause we wanted to be moms and we was moms. We said, ‘We can do it’ and whatever came my way, I handled it, which was taking the good with the bad … ’cause someone has to do it! When they think it can’t, they panic, the labels and people. ‘Oh my god, how are you gonna? The sales! Sales, sales!’ But you know, we did it.”
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Salt then chimes in, telling Hall, “They do get scared. I don’t think I’ve ever said this out loud, oooh Tamron! I was actually asked to have an abortion — I won’t say by who — but to your point, yeah, you just have to know that it’s something that you’re capable of handling if you want a kid and you want to have a career. And it’s definitely harder. Having my daughter, besides finding Jesus, is the best thing that I’ve ever experienced, my kids,” she continues. “Like, I needed that lil’ baby in my life, you know? She kept me company on the road.”
As we all know, Salt-N-Pepa’s career has spanned over three decades, and they are widely regarded as one of the most influential female rap groups of all time. They first gained national attention in 1986 with their debut single “The Showstopper,” which was followed by the hit “Push It” in 1987. “Push It” became a crossover pop hit, reaching the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning the group a Grammy nomination.
Salt-N-Pepa’s other notable hits include “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “Shoop,” and “Whatta Man,” which featured R&B group En Vogue. They released five studio albums between 1986 and 1997, and their music often dealt with themes of female empowerment and sexuality.
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In addition to their successful music career, Salt-N-Pepa have also made several television and film appearances, including their own reality show, “The Salt-N-Pepa Show,” which aired on VH1 from 2007 to 2008. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, becoming the first female hip hop artists to receive this honor.
So regardless of what critics had to say it seems the dynamic duo has always gotten the job done! #Socialites, what are your thoughts?