Sex, spice and the bitter realities of fame? Ooh, baby, baby.
Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton reveal their truths in the new biopic “Salt-N-Pepa”, which will air on Lifetime this Saturday. The three-hour film follows the duo – played by GG Townson as Salt and Laila Odom as Pepa – as they record a successful single in a New York public restroom, eventually becoming the first female rap band to reach the status of certified platinum.
“Nothing was off limits,” Pepa, 54, told The Post about re-creating the duo’s story. “It was important for us to be vulnerable and honest in making this film,” added Salt, 53.
But for the “Let’s Talk About Sex” lights, which share executive producer credits with rap pioneer Queen Latifah, diving back into her past took an emotional toll.
Pepa struggled to justly portray her allegedly abusive relationship with ex-husband Anthony “Treach” Criss from hip-hop collective Naughty by Nature. Treach denies the abuse.
“In the movie, I didn’t just want to focus on the negative things between us,” said Pep of his turbulent past as an “OPP” emcee. “I wanted to be fair to [Treach] and show that despite the evil, he was also a good guy. “
Salt revealed his battle with bulimia during the height of the Grammy-winning group’s success. His eating disorder contributed to the temporary dissolution of Salt-N-Pepa in the early 2000s.
“I developed bulimia because of the pressure to perform and have to live my life in the public eye,” Salt told The Post, noting that it was the most difficult trauma to relive for the film.
In the mid-1980s, best friends went from ordinary teenagers who worked part-time as Sears telephone solicitors to international music icons in a matter of months.
Shortly after a kismet meeting at the Queensborough Community College cafeteria, then students James, a shy introvert, and Denton, a gregarious socializer, shot to fame as Salt-N-Pepa in 1986.
Capturing the heart of the streets with hip-hop classics “The Showstopper”, “My Mic Sound Nice” and “I’ll Take Your Man”, the pioneering duo was apprehensive about the release of what would become their biggest hit, “Push it.”
“When we recorded ‘Push It’ for the first time in a bathroom in Brooklyn,” Pepa told The Post, “we were so concerned that the streets would hate us for making a pop song.”
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Little did they know that their recording in the bathroom would serve as the catalyst for their string of sexy and feminine chart champions, including “Shoop”, “Whatta Man” and “Ain’t Nuthin ‘But a She Thing.”
“We were never afraid to talk about sex,” said Salt. “Talking about sexuality and being a strong voice for young women came naturally.”
Pioneers of the female rap community – influencing the tastes of today’s hip-hop heroines, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and City Girls – the story of Salt-N-Pepa is one of power and perseverance.
“People will see the struggle that we endure as rappers in an industry dominated by men,” said Pep of the biopic.
“We had to fight for our voices to be heard,” he added.
After the film’s debut, Salt-N-Pepa is about to receive an award for his Grammy ensemble in March and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the spring.
The dynamic duo also launched a makeup line with Milani cosmetics, in addition to a brand of herbal supplements. And although they haven’t made any concrete plans to return to the studio, the rappers on “I Am Down” are open to releasing new songs.
“With this film, and in everything we do, we want people to be inspired,” agreed the duo, emphasizing their motto: “No matter what happens, keep pushing.”