Iconic rap group Salt-N-Pepa recently received a star on the Walk of Fame, and the duo invited Spinderella celebrate the achievement. Over the past few years, the three women, who toured for decades spreading empowering messages through song, have been at odds after Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton said Deidra “Spinderella” Roper was not a member of the group in 2019.
On Friday, Nov. 4, James, Denton, 56, and Roper, 51, met up to receive their plaques in Los Angeles for their exemplary career fueled by chart-topping hits like “Shoop,” “Push It,” “I’ll Take Your Man,” “Whatta Man,” and more.
While James and Denton took the time to thank their families and co-workers and all those who contributed to their legacy and reflect on the great honor, Spin took the opportunity during her acceptance speech to offer an olive branch. She further explained how important the group has been in her life and expressed how desperately she and the fans want them to reconcile.
She, with the duo Salt-N-Pepa standing in the back of her, first shared she was only 16 years old when Salt, Pepa, Herbie Luv Bug, and other people in the early production team, came to her house to talk to her about joining the group. The team came to her projects apartment in Brooklyn to get approval from her parents.
After her parents said yes, Spin said those early days they would come to Hollywood and look at all the stars along the Walk of Fame and wonder if they could ever achieve such an honor. The DJ said, “We never imagined our names would be here … But God knew what he had in store.”
“The music of Salt-N-Pepa wasn’t only timeless; it didn’t make just make you dance; it was a movement,” Spin said. “A movement felt globally.”
“Women everywhere were inspired forever, changed by the message of strength and independence, and what our message did for you guys it also did for me as well. Thank you, Herbie, for the call to join this iconic group. Thank you, Salt, Pep, for mentoring me … life lessons,” she continued.
“I’ve been through ups and downs but I have to thank you for those lessons because it wasn’t just the music to me, it was our relationship and that means everything to me,” Spin said about their broken relationship.
Turning to the Grammy Award-winning act, she said, “So whatever we gotta do to fix that, let’s get some unity back in this. Let’s figure it out, and iconic – and be what the fans want.”
The former touring partners have been at odds since Spinderella filed a lawsuit over unpaid royalties. The DJ told her fans she received a termination email from the group and the duo cut her out of much of their Lifetime biopic, “Salt-N-Pepa.”
At the time, Spin said, she had been “wrongfully excluded” and her friendship with the ladies was “over,” according to People.
With close to four decades in the business, Salt-N-Pepa has shown no signs of slowing down. Outside of being the first rap group to have a residency in Las Vegas, the “Salt-N-Pepa’s I Love the ’90s” show and touring with the New Kids on the Block 2022 MixTape tour joining En Vogue, Rick Astley, and members of Naughty By Nature, the ladies have a big date coming up.
On Monday, Nov. 7, Salt-N-Pepa will perform on “Dancing with the Stars” for “90s Night” on Disney+. The former Profile recording artists were joined on stage by other acts like Kid ‘N Play, En Vogue, and Vanilla Ice, who owned the radio in those decades.
