Salt-N-Pepa

Released: October 12, 1993

Songwriter: Cheryl “Salt” James Weatoc Inc.

Producer: Weatoc Inc.

[Intro: Salt]
Well, for a long time, me, Pep, and Spin have been involved in the fight against AIDS, and we always say the best cure is not to get it and not to spread it. You should be responsible if you're gonna have sex

So, we decided to give a spot on our album to a group of young people who'e also involved in the fight and they're called WEATOC from Boston, Massachusetts. They're just young people schoolin' other young people

[Skit: Cathy & Mario]
- Oh, God, I can't believe this. I mean, I thought this happened or other people but not me. I mean, I'm only 16 years old. I had a whole life ahead of me, and now I'm gonna die! I mean, what am I gonna do? I...Oh, God, I'm so confused, and where's Mario? I called him over an hour ago. All we had to do was just use protection. I mean, the condoms were right there

[Knock on door]

- Come in
- Yo, what's up, man? Hold it, hold it - where the TV at?
- Mario, forget about the TV
- What are you talking about? I got 50 dollars on this game
- Mario, this is more important than the game
- What? What? Alright, whoa, who's home?
- There's nobody home right now
- Oh, then so that's why you called me over here then...
- Mario, that's how we got into this in the first place
- What are you talking about? What, what are you talking about?
- I went to the clinic today
- Oh, what you got? A little cold? I know how to fix that
- Mario, I don't have a cold
- So, oh... oh, please, please, don't tell me you're pregnant. Please don't tell me you're pregnant
- Right now that would be easier to tell you than what I have to tell you
- So then what are you talking about? You're talking in circles, Cathy
- Mario, I got tested, and my test...my test results came up positive
- Tests for what? Postive for what? What are you talkin' about?
- I have HIV...
- You...
- And I really don't know what we're gonna do because...
- Hold up, wait... wait, wait... You got AIDS?
- Yes
- Oh...
- I have the virus and I don't know what we're gonna do
- Hold up, what "we're" gonna do?
- I mean, we should have used protection
- What "we're" gonna do? What are you talking about? No, no, no... This can't... No, this is not happening to me...
- What are you talking about?
- No, this... I mean, you might have HIV, I guess, but not me. No, I'm sorry, I'm straight
- Mario, what are you talking about? You know you're the only one I've been with
- That's not what I've heard
- You know we didn't use protection!
- Oh, my goodness, that's not what I heard. My boys talk... They told me they seen you with all types of dudes, Cathy. Come on, now
- Your boys? You're gonna start listening to your boys at a time like this?
- Well, I'm... Well, trust me, now was a perfect time to start
- Mario, I thought you loved me! What are you... I can't believe this is coming from you! I thought...
- Hey, whoa...
- I thought I meant more to you than this!
- Well I did love you, but now you be sleeping around. You caught AIDS and all that...
- Sleeping around?!
- What do you want me to do?
- I can't believe you, Mario! I hate you! Just get home, my God!

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.

more tracks from the album

Very Necessary

From the album

Very Necessary (1993)

Salt-N-Pepa popular songs

I’ve Got AIDS (PSA)Salt-N-Pepa

Salt-N-Pepa

Very Necessary