There are several celebrations to be had within Hip Hop in 2023. The most obvious is the culture's 50th anniversary, culminating in all its glory on August 11. Our OGs—from all five pillars of Hip Hop—have been receiving their flowers for their contributions to a genre that has weaved itself into the fabric of entertainment worldwide. A celebrated pioneer who has been a voice for generations is doubling up on the festivities, as Cheryl "Salt" James also rings in 30 years since the release of Salt-N-Pepa's groundbreaking album, Very Necessary.
The New York City trio of James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Diedre "Spinderella" Roper would quickly become powerful voices in a male-dominated scene. The group's first hit, 1985's "I'll Take Your Man," saw them edge their way into mainstream conversations. Two years later, "Push It" followed, a song that was a B-side to their single "Tramp." Soon, the ladies found themselves as the leaders of a new era, championing women's empowerment and conversations about sex-positivity and safety during a time when the HIV-AIDS epidemic ran rampant.
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Although the beats and bars made for chart-topping hits, James recalls it being more than a cultural uprising in sex-centered spaces. It told the tales of strength in womanhood and defiance in the face of adversity. Very Necessary gave us anthems like "Whatta Man" and "Shoop," heralding a new dawn for femcees. With five decades of Hip Hop behind us, we were curious about what a Hip Hop pioneer like Salt would like to see from the next 50 years.
Here are a few highlights from our upcoming interview with this giant force in Hip Hop. From her opinions on today's generation of femcees to the women in her life who always held her down, check out standouts from our forthcoming conversation with Cheryl "Salt" James.
On The Women Who Inspired Salt-N-Pepa
Well, we were inspired by Roxanne Shante. For sure. We did the answer to Slick Rick and Dougie Fresh's "The Show." We did "The Showstopper," you know, she did her answer records. So, that was the inspiration. And along the way, it's been a few, but one that sticks out story-wise is Sparky Dee.
When we were going on stage, she could see we were visibly nervous. And she gave us a real pep talk. Like, you know, "Just like go out there and do you, be you know, go hard, be confident." I remember that really helping back in the day, and we're still friends. Sparky. MC Lyte is also a friend that I'm inspired by, even now with everything she's doing outside of Hip Hop. She always talks about how "My Mic Sounds Nice" was like, the song that like lit her up. So, those would be the people for me.
Read More: The Rise of Women's Empowerment In Hip-Hop
On Where She Would Like To See Hip Hop Evolve To Next
Um, I think the pendulum has swung really far in one direction. Balance again, you know, because when we were coming up, as you know, we had Lauryn Hill, who was The Educator. We also had Lil Kim, who was liberated sexually, we had Salt-N-Pepa, we brought fun fashion and femininity. Hip Hop, we had Latifah! Who was the Queen, Missy [Elliott], The Innovator. Like, there was so many choices, you know, and everybody was different, and everybody was authentic. I feel like we're going in this kind of cookie-cutter direction. So, [I hope for] more authenticity, more balance, more opportunity for young people who have a different message than what's popular to have a chance to be heard.
Advice She Has For The Next Generation
...I see so many artists Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, you know, the biggest artists, just be consumed by this, by this business. To the point that they feel stuck and they don't feel like they can get out. So, I would say...I know this is a really long, deep answer [laughs]!
HNHH: No, it's fine! I'm tuned in on a deeply personal level. [laughs]
[Laughs] Just, like, just don't be consumed by the business. Don't be consumed by it. Keep your identity, maintain who you are. So that no matter what happens, you'll be alright.
Make sure to stay tuned for our upcoming interview with Pepa, and then another with the ladies together, celebrating 30 years of their culture-shifting album, Very Necessary.