Iconic hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa hit the stage for a special performance on the Smirnoff ICE Relaunch Tour on Thursday night in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, had some time before getting ready for their show to talk to The Blast exclusively about the show, upcoming projects they have, getting a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more .
Salt-N-Pepa Hit The Stage To Perform On Smirnoff ICE Relaunch Tour
Fernando Leon / Getty Images for Smirnoff ICE
The hip hop duo heard about the Relaunch tour through their management and thought it would be a great thing to be a part of the show so they could help support women in music because they say, “we are women in music.”
All proceeds from ticket sales for Thursday night show that Salt-N-Pepa is part of will directly support the non-profit Women In Music, an organization committed to advancing equality, visibility and opportunities for women in the arts of music through education, recognition, advocacy and empowerment.
“Smirnoff ICE not only celebrates its iconic status for over 23 years of connecting people with experiences they remember, but more importantly, the brand shines a light on our latest partnership with Women in Music to drive gender equality in music and entertainment,” said Lisa Lee, Brand Director ICE Smirnoff, in a statement issued earlier in the tour schedule. “We’re proud to bring some of the hottest female talent of our time to the stage on every tour date this summer, starting with a one-two punch in LA and Dallas.”
Salt-N-Pepa – Instagram
Salt-N-Pepa’s music has spanned decades. They have fans of all ages and see multiple generations in the audience of their shows. When they first started in the industry more than 30 years ago, Salt knew their music career would take them far.
“I wasn’t very good at college, and that’s where I met Pep, and I guess, I didn’t think I was a schoolboy. So the first time I got on the mic, I was like, this is what I want to do, and I just felt like it was something special that was going to be great,” he explained exclusively to The Blast. “Did I think it would last this long? Maybe not. We work as much now, or as much as we ever did, which was very unexpected, but also amazing and we really appreciate the love and support we have received throughout our career.”
Pepa added, “Coming from an era when the number one question was, ‘Will hip hop survive?’ and we’re actually here celebrating 50 years of hip hop.
Salt says that’s just “proof of the longevity of good music, timeless music.”
The duo are currently celebrating the 30th anniversary of their album and are in the studio working on some new music. So they are still not done entertaining all their fans, old and new.
Salt-N-Pepa Has Enjoyed Many Amazing Accomplishments Along The Way
Fernando Leon / Getty Images for Smirnoff ICE
Back in November of last year, they got a spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was a long time coming.
“The long time comes and you always feel good when it comes and the time is great. I was like, well, yup, our names are stamped on the earth. We work hard so it feels amazing when we get the award,” said Pepa. Salt added, “I remember the first time we actually came to LA that day and walked the Walk of Fame and saw all the stars and never thought it would be something we would experience.
Throughout their long and interesting career, they experienced many milestones. When asked if they had a favorite moment of their careers, they reminisced about boycotting the Grammys and what that one decision has done for a lifetime for hip hop music.
“I thought about boycotting the Grammys and winning a Grammy a few years after boycotting it for hip hop to be televised. That was a big moment,” Pepa told The Blast. “And it’s being a woman in hip hop when it’s a male-dominated field. Taking a stand like that, it feels good. It’s brave for sure.”
Salt added, “We didn’t know how important it was at the time, but we really helped to include hip hop in the Grammys as a visual, because like Pep said, it was just announced but we weren’t allowed to actually come and receive our gift.”
Fernando Leon / Getty Images for Smirnoff ICE
He also shared another big moment that holds a special place in his heart.
“And hands down for me was the first time we heard our record on the radio. That’s really exciting, because we’ve been waiting week after week because that’s when you can only listen to hip hop on the weekend so everyone’s watching,” he said. “And we kept waiting because we thought they were going to play it and one day we were driving and they ended up playing ‘The Showstoppa,’ which was our first record, and we went crazy. Pep jumped out of the car shouting ‘That’s my record on the radio.’ And I was like, ‘Get back in the car because I really want to hear that song.'”
With so many amazing hits, it can be hard to pick your favorite. But when asked if there was a song they’d really like to perform, they both answered at the same time – “Shoop.”
The Smirnoff ICE Relaunch Tour has just two stops left – Atlanta on August 17th and Charlotte on August 31st. All ticket sales will go to benefit Women In Music. Get more information on their website.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
