Pepa (rapper)

Last updated

Pepa
Sandra Denton (Pepa).jpg
Pepa performing with Salt-N-Pepa at the Canberra Theatre, Australia, 2013
Born
Sandra Jacqueline Denton

(1964-11-09) 9 November 1964 (age 60)
or (1969-11-09) 9 November 1969 (age 55)
(sources differ)
Kingston, Jamaica
Other names
  • Pepa
  • Sandy Denton
  • Pep
  • Sandi [1]
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • actress
Years active1985–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1999;div. 2001)​
[2]
Children2
Musical career
Origin Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Labels
Member of Salt-N-Pepa

Sandra Jacqueline Denton (born 9 November 1964 [3] [4] or 1969 [5] [6] [7] ), better known by her stage name Pepa or Pep, is a Jamaican-American rapper, best known for her work as a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa. Denton starred in The Salt-N-Pepa Show , a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group which aired on the VH1 network in 2008. Since January 2016, Denton has appeared as a supporting cast member on the music reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop which airs on We TV. [8] [9]

Contents

Early life

Sandra Jacqueline Denton [10] [11] was born in Kingston, Jamaica to Charles and Enid Denton (née Hyacinth), [12] [13] the youngest of eight children. Denton lived on a farm in Jamaica with her grandmother until she was six years old. [14] Denton's family moved to Queens, New York, when she was three; and she later joined them. Denton has been a performer since childhood. Denton was molested as a child. Denton released a book about her life in 2008 entitled Let's Talk About Pep in which she talked about being molested, her many abusive relationships, and how Salt-N-Pepa formed.[ citation needed ]

In 1979, 15-year-old [15] Denton was sent to live with her elder sister Patsy in Logan, Utah, when her family home in Queens caught fire and so she could have a better life. [16] [15] According to Denton, she was the only Black student attending Logan High School during that time. Denton became inspired by rock music; citing AC/DC and Led Zeppelin as her inspirations during her time in Utah. After a year in Utah, Denton returned to New York, later graduating from Springfield Gardens High School. [16]

Denton worked in a call center at a Sears in College Point. [17] She met Cheryl James in the Sears lunchroom. [17] They both were also enrolled as nursing students at Queensborough Community College. [17] [18]

Career

With the production by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor whom she and James met while working as customer service representatives at Sears, James and Denton released a single called "The Showstopper" which became a moderate R&B hit in late 1985. [19] [20] They were joined with Latoya Hanson who was the original DJ of the group. Shortly after in 1986, Deidra "Spinderella" Roper joined as the group's DJ as a full-length debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious , was being released. The trio released a total of five studio albums: Hot, Cool, and Vicious (1986), A Salt with a Deadly Pepa (1988), Blacks' Magic (1990), Very Necessary (1993), and Brand New (1997), plus several greatest hits albums. Salt-N-Pepa disbanded in 2002, several months after their Brand New album was released on Red Ant Records. Denton's co-group member Cheryl James had stated she was ready to leave the music industry. The trio reunited for a performance on VH1's Hip Hop Honors program on 22 September 2005. In 2005, Denton was a cast member of VH1's The Surreal Life (season 5).[ citation needed ]

Denton's acting credits also include the motion picture Joe's Apartment , an appearance in the HBO movie First Time Felon, and a stint as Officer Andrea Phelan on the HBO drama, Oz . She starred on The Surreal Life: Fame Games . Salt-N-Pepa reformed in 2008, and are still[ when? ] in the process of releasing an album since reforming as they work out past issues.[ citation needed ] Denton teamed up with James for VH1's The Salt-N-Pepa Show . She starred in her own reality show on the network entitled Let's Talk About Pep , word-play on the group's hit song "Let's Talk About Sex". She can be heard speaking Jamaican Patois in the song "Need U Bad" by Jazmine Sullivan. In August 2008, Denton released her autobiography, which was also entitled Let's Talk About Pep. It was co-written by Karen Hunter, and it offered a look behind the fame, family, failures, and successes of her life in one of hip-hop's most successful groups. It features an introduction by Queen Latifah, and an epilogue by Missy Elliott. To accommodate the book, Pepa launched her own social network for her fans. On 23 October 2008, Salt-N-Pepa performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards. In January 2011, Denton appeared in an episode of the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? as Tammy, a woman who falls for the Terry Crews character of Nick. Denton joined the reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop as a supporting cast member in January 2016 along with her daughter Egypt (a main cast member) and niece Tahira Francis. [21] [22]

Personal life

Denton once dated and was engaged to rapper Prince Markie Dee sometime during the mid-1980s. [23] She also briefly dated actor Will Smith. [24] On 6 July 1990, Denton gave birth to her first child, a son she had with New York rapper Tyran "Tah-Tah" Moore [25] [26] whom she named Tyran Denton Jr. She made a guest appearance on Ricki Lake in 1994, teaching teenage girls the responsibilities of being a mother. Denton was the owner of HollyHood, a retail clothing store in the Buckhead section of Atlanta, Georgia, which opened in November 1995. [27] [28] [29] On 2 April 1999, Denton married Treach (whose real name is Anthony Criss) of the rap group Naughty by Nature at a Kansas City tattoo parlor after dating on and off for seven years. [30] [31] Their wedding ceremony was held at their home in Morristown, New Jersey, on 24 July 1999. [32] Denton and Treach had one daughter, Egypt Jahnari Criss (born 2 September 1998). After allegations of physical abuse inflicted by Treach, they divorced in 2001. [33] [34]

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Stay Tuned Herself (with Salt-N-Pepa)
1993 Who's the Man? Sherise
1994 Jason's Lyric Sandy
1996 Joe's Apartment Blank
1997 First Time Felon Laverne
1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Little Kitten (Voice)Episode: Mother Goose
2000 Linc's HerselfEpisode: "The Music In Me"
2000–2003 Oz Officer Andrea Phelan6 episodes
2001 3 A.M. Ellen
2002 Love and a Bullet Female with cue stick
2002 Book of Love Herself
2007 The Perfect Holiday V-Jay
2010 Let's Talk About Pep Herself8 episodes
2011 Are We There Yet? TammyEpisode: "The Oh No She Di-in't Episode"
2011Queen of MediaHerself
2014 Sharknado 2: The Second One Polly
2015 Family Time HerselfEpisode: "Salt N' Spice N' Pepa"
2015Cookin' with Salt-N-PepaHerself7 episodes
2015 Lip Sync Battle HerselfEpisode: "Sandra Denton vs. Cheryl James"
2017 Sandy Wexler Testimonial

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MC Lyte</span> American rapper (born 1970)

Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roxanne Shante</span> American rapper (born 1969)

Lolita Shante Gooden, better known by her stage name Roxanne Shante, is an American rapper. She first gained attention through the Roxanne Wars and was part of the Juice Crew. The 2017 film Roxanne Roxanne is a dramatization of Shante's life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt-N-Pepa</span> American girl group

Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt, Pepa, and DJ Spinderella. Their debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986), sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making them the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album included the single, "Push It", which was released in 1987 as the B-side to their single "Tramp", and peaked within the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Da Brat</span> American rapper (born 1974)

Shawntae Harris-Dupart, better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, she began her career in 1992 and signed with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings two years later to release her debut studio album, Funkdafied (1994). Receiving platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), it became the first album by a female hip hop solo act to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yo-Yo (rapper)</span> American rapper and actress

Yolanda "Yo-Yo" Whitaker is an American rapper and actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naughty by Nature</span> American hip hop trio

Naughty by Nature is an American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey, consisting of Treach, Vin Rock, and DJ Kay Gee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Spinderella</span> American DJ and rapper (born 1970)

Deidra Muriel Roper, known professionally as DJ Spinderella or simply Spinderella, is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Roper occasionally appeared in The Salt-n-Pepa Show, a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group and which aired on the VH1 network in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance</span> Honor presented to artists for rap performances

The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which point the award was split into two categories: Best Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. These two categories were combined again in 2012 as a result of a restructure of Grammy categories, and the reinstated Award for Best Rap Performance was presented at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012. The restructuring was the consequence of the Recording Academy's wish to decrease the number of categories and awards and to eliminate distinctions between solo and duo or group performances.

<i>Vibe</i> (magazine) American music and entertainment magazine

Vibe is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production in the summer of 2009, it was purchased by the private equity investment fund InterMedia Partners, then issued bi-monthly with double covers and a larger online presence. The magazine's target demographic is predominantly young, urban followers of hip hop culture. In 2014, the magazine discontinued its print version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treach</span> American rapper (born 1970)

Anthony Shawn Criss, better known by his stage name Treach, is an American rapper and actor. He is perhaps best known as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salt (rapper)</span> American rapper (1966)

Cheryl Renee James, also known as Salt, is an American rapper. She is best known as a member of the female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa, which also includes Pepa and Spinderella. James starred in The Salt-N-Pepa Show, a reality TV series focusing on reforming the group; which aired on the VH1 network in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Ya Head Up</span> 1993 single by 2Pac

"Keep Ya Head Up" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993). It was released on October 28, 1993 by Interscope Records as the album's third single, peaking at numbers 12 and 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Talk About Sex</span> 1991 single by Salt-n-Pepa

"Let's Talk About Sex" is a song by American hip hop trio Salt-N-Pepa, released in August 1991 by Next Plateau as the fourth single from their third studio album, Blacks' Magic (1990). It was written and co-produced by Hurby Azor, and achieved great success in many countries, including Australia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Zimbabwe where it was a number-one hit. Its music video was directed by Millicent Shelton. In 1992, "Let's Talk About Sex" earned a nomination in the category for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the Grammy Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What a Man (song)</span> 1968 single by Linda Lyndell

"What a Man" is a song written by Dave Crawford, and originally recorded for Stax Records' Volt imprint by Linda Lyndell, whose recording reached number 50 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1968. The song was sampled and reinterpreted as "Whatta Man" in 1993 by the trio Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue, which became a commercial success; reaching the top ten in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2011, German singer Lena Meyer-Landrut covered the song while retaining the original title and lyrics.

<i>Lyte as a Rock</i> 1988 studio album by MC Lyte

Lyte as a Rock is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on April 19, 1988, via First Priority and Atlantic Records, and was produced by Audio Two, Prince Paul, and King of Chill and his group, Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoop</span> 1993 single by Salt-n-Pepa

"Shoop" is the lead single released from American hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa's fourth studio album, Very Necessary (1993). The song was produced by group members Sandra "Pepa" Denton and Cheryl "Salt" James with Mark Sparks. Released in September 1993 by Next Plateau, the song became one of the group's more successful singles, reaching numbers four and five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, and topping the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart at number one. Two months after its release, "Shoop" was certified gold by the RIAA; it went on to sell 1.2 million copies. Its accompanying music video was directed by Scott Kalvert. The success of both this single and the follow-up single "Whatta Man" propelled Very Necessary to sell over 5 million copies in the US, becoming the group's best-selling album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Gardens High School</span> Public school in New York City

Springfield Gardens High School was a public 4-year high school located in the Springfield Gardens section in the New York City borough of Queens. The school was opened in 1965. Closed in 2007, The Springfield Gardens High School building is now a complex made up of four other schools named Springfield Gardens Educational Campus. The schools are named Preparatory Academy for Writers, Queens Preparatory Academy, Excelsior Preparatory High School, and George Washington Carver High School for the Sciences.

"The Show" is a single by Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew. Described as "a reality show of a Hip Hop performance" the track focuses on a conversation between Doug E. Fresh and MC Ricky D as they prepare for a show. The song incorporates portions of the melody from the theme song of the animated series Inspector Gadget. The original issue of the song featured a line where Slick Rick mockingly sings a verse from the Beatles' "Michelle" (1965), but all subsequent reissues have removed this line since the rights to the song were never secured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruffneck (song)</span> 1993 single by MC Lyte

"Ruffneck" is a hip hop song recorded by American rapper MC Lyte. It was published on May 27, 1993 by First Priority Music and Atlantic Street, as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Ain't No Other (1993). The song was produced by Aqil Davidson with Walter "Mucho" Scott, who along with Lyte have songwriting credits.

Let's Talk About Pep is an American reality television series that aired for one season from January 11 until March 1, 2010.

References

  1. ↑ "Salt N' Pepa: Take Control Of Their Careers With New Business Ventures". JET Magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. 3 April 1995. Retrieved 17 December 2017– via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Company, Johnson Publishing (3 May 1999). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ↑ Hess, Mickey (2009). Hip Hop in America: A Regional Guide. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   978-0-313-34321-6.
  4. ↑ Hicks, Jonathan P. (9 November 2013). "This Day in Black History: Nov. 9, 1964". BET . Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  5. ↑ Worldcat – Denton, Sandra 1969 -
  6. ↑ Price, Emmett George; Iber, Jorge (2006). Hip Hop Culture. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   978-1-85109-867-5.
  7. ↑ Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK Hit Singles 1952-2006. Collins. ISBN   978-0-00-720077-1.
  8. ↑ "Salt-N-Pepa Makes a Cameo in Sneak Peek of 'Growing Up Hip Hop' Season Three" (video). Entertainment Tonight. 19 July 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  9. ↑ "Master P Gets Flirty With Sandy 'Pepa' Denton on 'Growing Up Hip Hop'". Entertainment Tonight. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  10. ↑ Bynoe, Yvonne (2006). Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip-hop Culture. Greenwood Press. ISBN   978-0-313-33058-2 . Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  11. ↑ Magazine, Vibe (2001). Hip-Hop Divas. Three Rivers Press. ISBN   978-0-609-80836-8 . Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  12. ↑ Magazine, Vibe (2001). Hip-Hop Divas. Three Rivers Press. ISBN   978-0-609-80836-8 . Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Wedding Of The Decade (Pepa & Treach Wed In Star Studded Ceremony)". Ebony Magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. October 1999 – via Google Books.
  14. ↑ "Sandra "Pepa" Denton". Biography. 25 January 2021.
  15. 1 2 "Behind The Music – Salt 'n' Pepa: Behind the Music #145 – VH1". VH1. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017.
  16. 1 2 Denton, Sandy (26 August 2008). Let's Talk About Pep. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-4391-2660-8.
  17. 1 2 3 Bonfante, Lisa; Resnick, Jill; Scolavine, Vanessa; Sullivan, Matthew (January 13, 1990). "'Queens from Queens' rap about life". Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine). p. B-8.
  18. ↑ Dickie, George (January 17, 2021). "Lifetime spotlights a pioneering rap act in 'Salt-N-Pepa'". The Sacramento Bee. p. T27.
  19. ↑ Hook, Sue Vander (6 February 2018). Hip-Hop Fashion. Capstone. ISBN   978-1-4296-4017-6 – via Google Books.
  20. ↑ Hess, Mickey (2007). Icons of Hip Hop: An Encyclopedia of the Movement, Music, and Culture. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   978-0-313-33902-8 – via Google Books.
  21. ↑ "Growing Up Hip-Hop: Meet The Cast". WE tv. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  22. ↑ "IS PEPA'S NEW HOUSE HAUNTED? SEASON 3, EPISODE 2". WE tv. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  23. ↑ "Salt 'n Pepa Shake It Up, Laying a Cold Rap on Men".
  24. ↑ Bell, Sadie (28 December 2023). "Will Smith Says 'Most Terrified' He's Ever Been Was on His 'One and Only Date' with Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa". Peoplemag. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  25. ↑ Pepa D, Sandra. "Wishing my son, my first born a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I can't wait until your back back in LA and we celebrate! As Mama Says All the Best! Love you Ty ! @tysensei07". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  26. ↑ "Rapper's life story, Pepa'd with violence". New York Daily News .
  27. ↑ "Pepa's Hollyhood". Vibe Magazine. 1 March 1996. Retrieved 17 December 2017– via Google Books.
  28. ↑ "Strictly Business: Rappers Get Entrepreneurial Itch". Vibe Magazine. 1 November 1996. Retrieved 17 December 2017– via Google Books.
  29. ↑ "Signing In". JET Magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. 18 December 1995. Retrieved 17 December 2017– via Google Books.
  30. ↑ "Lovers". Vibe Magazine. Vibe Media. December 1996 – January 1997. p.  115 . Retrieved 28 November 2017– via Internet Archive. Pepa and treach.
  31. ↑ Icons of Hip Hop: 1. ABC-CLIO. 2007. ISBN   978-0-313-33902-8 . Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  32. ↑ Brady, Lois (1 August 1999). "VOWS; Sandra Denton and Anthony Criss". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  33. ↑ "Sandy "Pepa" Denton: Pep Talk". Essence. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  34. ↑ "Sandy 'Pepa' Denton Keeps an Open Dialogue with Kids". Peoplemag. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.