Hip Hop pioneers Cheryl “Salt” James, Sandra “Pepa” Denton, and Deidra “DJ Spinderella” Roper, known as Salt-N-Pepa, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They are the first female rap group to receive such an honor for their groundbreaking contributions to the hip hop culture.
The icons were candid about some of the behind the scenes hurdles they’re currently facing despite the celebratory moment. The group is suing UMG for allegedly being in violation of the copyright act of 1976 which allows musicians to reclaim their master’s after 36 years. As a result, fans were temporarily unable to stream their music on some streaming platforms, as the group continues to fight for their masters.
The trio was formed in 1985 in New York City, and released their debut album Hot, Cool, & Vicious selling more than 1 million copies in the U.S. Their two hit singles “Push It” and “Tramp” both peaked in the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. This made them the first female hip hop group to reach Gold and Platinum status. Missy Elliott, Mona Scott, and Cyndi Lauper, were some of the guests in attendance at the ceremony.
