The dust may have settled over the fallout between DJ Spinderella and Salt-N-Pepa, but details of internal turmoil continue to come to light.
During an interview with “The Breakfast Club” to promote the group’s upcoming biopic, “Salt-N-Pepa,” the rapping duo cleared the air on what lead to Spinderella’s 2019 departure and a subsequent lawsuit.
“It’s gon’ cost us $50,000 every time we say that name,” said Sandra “Pepa” Denton, as she burst into laughter when asked what happened. Clarifying the matter, Cheryl “Salt” James said, “our lawsuit has been settled, it actually went to mediation.”
In July 2019, Deidra “DJ Spinderella” Roper sued the group for alleged unpaid royalties, breach of contract, and allegations of being cut out of band deals.
The federal suit states, “Roper was suddenly informed — in an unexpected telephone call from Denton — that James, 53, and Denton, 52, were holding the sum of $125,000 that would be paid to Roper. No such payment of $125,000 was subsequently made to Roper.”
That same month representatives for the duo told People, “It’s unfortunate she [Spinderella] is choosing to take this path, because Salt-N-Pepa have been very good to her, both artistically and financially, for more than 30 years.”
Although Spinderella joined the group when she was 16, the rapping duo was already established and had released their debut album “Hot, Cool & Vicious.”
“Spinderella was an addition to what we had already created. It’s always been a lot of attempts to compromise, to satisfy on everybody’s part, and it just never got to a place where is was something, it was what you know she thought it should be,” further explained Salt.
She continued, “Sometimes things come to an head, it’s unfortunate, I know that everybody hates when a group breaks up, they want all the members of En Vogue, you know, I understand that. But internally sometimes things get a point where you have to part ways.”
The three-hour movie premieres Jan. 23 on Lifetime and will delve into even more details of the group’s history. But for fans who are holding out hope for Spinderella to once again grace the stage with James and Denton, the idea may not be completely off the table.
“We wish Spinderella the best, we’re open to what can happen in the future. I’ve reached out, I haven’t gotten anything back, you know. But I still — my heart is open,” added Salt.
