Released: March 19, 1990

Songwriter: Herby “Luvbug” Azor

Producer: Spinderella Herby “Luvbug” Azor

[I'd like to send this one out to the partner
Pepa MC, and her first born, whatever it may be]

Yo, Spin, once again help me get this crowd on its feet
So we can set it off
I've got your back, Salt, you know I'm never soft
Yo, where's your records at?
Right beside me
Ready to give a scratch?
Yep, like poison ivy

It's the Nineties, the year for change, can you prove it?
I made this beat, I'm an Invincible, and I produced it
It's in my soul to roll and flow, take control
Sold the show, can go like a pogo stick
Hot hit, dop, dip, rock, rip, don't shop on my hit list
Cuz I can be a witch if
They music is cool, and it can calm the savage beast
Then we got plenty of beats for the beasts to eat
A party animal that's livin' rather large, in fact
Take out the camera, Salt, (Why?) I wanna picture that
Make sure it's focused or you may only not have noticed
Before I cut up a jam I yell a "hocus pocus"
And right before your eyes you'll understand the name
Musicans and magicians are usually the same
And the fame, proclaim, obtains, the stain will gain a rain
That pours, it soars my brain to yours
Ordained by law to train the poor
I'll make sure that there ain't gonna be no more
It's a treachery hidden up the sleeves of men
Magic will only work for those who do believe in them

Black magic, it's black magic
Do you believe in black magic?
It's black magic
I believe in black magic
It's black magic
Do you believe in black magic?
It's black magic
I believe in

We call this song "Black Magic" cuz it's a fact
Anything that's tragic relates to black
Coincidental? (No) Here's an example, Jack
Words as ancient as fossils or artifacts
Black Sunday or Monday
Black tongues or lungs may cause a black sleep
Why say black sheep?
Black sabbath is evil, black market illegal
A black widow is deadly, black potion ain't healthy
See, some try to say dark-skinned men ain't sexy true
Darker the cherry, you know how sweet will be the juice
Music's the only thing that brings the dead right back to life
Have faith and it will guide you through the night just like a light
Never say Salt steered you wrong inside a concert hall
My crystal ball can see the future, to the beat y'all

Magic, it's black magic
Do you believe in magic?
It's black magic
I believe in magic
It's black magic
Do you believe in magic?
It's black magic
I believe in magic

And my feet in the street is black magic
And my soul in control is black magic
And the life that I live is black magic
Anything that I give is black magic

It's black magic
Do you believe in magic?
It's black magic
I believe in

In magic, a dimension of sight and sound
Where people see in only shades of brown
And reality is the same as a fantasy
Is this the way you want your world to be?
Not me, I want variety in my society
Where I can change if I don't like what I see, you see
This is a woman speakin' bringin' door-to-door, seekin'
Tranquilty, that abilty will keep on repeatin'
To saw someone in half may be a trick or treat
Making them dance and laugh is somethin' quite unique
Abracadabra, Salt's comin' at ya
You say my music was a phase, a fad, huh, I proved you wrong
Over ten years and still goin' strong
Whoever heard of a fad kickin' for so long?

Magic, it's black magic
Do you believe in magic?
It's black magic
I believe in magic
It's black magic
Do you believe in magic?
It's black magic
I believe in black magic

And the life that I live is black magic
Anything that I give is black magic
And my feet in the street is black magic
And my soul in control is black magic
(Repeat)

Salt-N-Pepa

Salt-N-Pepa is arguably the most successful female rap group of all time. The group began with Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton meeting while studying to be nurses. James got Denton a job at a Sears department store, where her boyfriend Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor also worked. Azor was studying music production and he asked them to help on a school project, an answer record to Doug E. Fresh’s “The Show” they named “The Showstopper” – recorded in 1985 under the name Supernature.

After the legendary Queens DJ Marley Marl played “The Showstopper” on his radio show, the group began getting booked for shows. One lyric in “The Showstopper” was ‘We the salt and pepper’, and people kept requesting ‘that salt and pepper song’, so they changed their name to Salt-N-Pepa. Deejay Deidra “Spinderella” Ropa was added soon after.

SNP’s debut album Hot, Cool, & Vicious originally spawned a minor hit in the UK with “My Mike Sounds Nice” in early 1987. But it was the re-release of a remix of “Push It”, originally a quickly-thrown together b-side for their fall ‘87 single “Tramp”, that shot the group into international stardom. The song reached the top 10 in eleven countries around the world in 1988.