Pepa (rapper) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pepa
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Pepa performing with Salt-N-Pepa at the Canberra Theatre, Australia, 2013
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Sandra Jacqueline Denton
9 November 1964 or 9 November 1969 (sources differ) |
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Queens, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
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| Associated acts |
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Sandra Jacqueline Denton (born November 9, 1964 or 1969), known as Pepa, is a Jamaican-American rapper. She is famous for being a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Pepa also appeared in The Salt-N-Pepa Show, a TV series about the group. Since 2016, she has been on the reality TV show Growing Up Hip Hop.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sandra Jacqueline Denton was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She was the youngest of eight children. Sandra lived on a farm with her grandmother until she was six. Her family moved to Queens, New York, when she was three. She joined them later. Sandra has been a performer since she was a child.
In 1979, when she was 15, Denton moved to Logan, Utah. She lived with her older sister Patsy. This happened after her family home in Queens had a fire. She was the only Black student at Logan High School at that time. While in Utah, she found inspiration in rock music. She liked bands like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. After a year, Denton returned to New York. She later graduated from Springfield Gardens High School.
Denton worked at a call center for Sears in College Point. There, she met Cheryl James. They were both also studying nursing at Queensborough Community College.
Music Career with Salt-N-Pepa
Sandra Denton and Cheryl James met Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor at Sears. He helped them create their first song. In late 1985, they released "The Showstopper." It became a popular R&B hit. Latoya Hanson was the group's first DJ. In 1986, Deidra "Spinderella" Roper joined as the new DJ. The group then released their first album, Hot, Cool & Vicious.
Salt-N-Pepa released five studio albums in total. These included Hot, Cool, and Vicious (1986) and Very Necessary (1993). They also released several greatest hits albums. The group stopped performing together in 2002. Cheryl James wanted to leave the music business.
The trio reunited for a special performance in 2005. This was for the VH1's Hip Hop Honors show. In 2005, Denton was also on the TV show The Surreal Life. Salt-N-Pepa officially reformed in 2008.
Acting and TV Appearances
Pepa has also acted in movies and TV shows. She was in the movie Joe's Apartment. She also appeared in the HBO movie First Time Felon. Denton played Officer Andrea Phelan on the HBO drama Oz. She was also a cast member on The Surreal Life: Fame Games.
Denton and Cheryl James teamed up for The Salt-N-Pepa Show on VH1. Pepa also had her own reality show called Let's Talk About Pep. This title was a play on words from one of their hit songs. In August 2008, Denton released her autobiography. It was also titled Let's Talk About Pep. The book shared stories about her life and the group's journey. Queen Latifah wrote the introduction for the book.
In January 2011, Denton appeared on the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet?. She played Tammy, a character who liked Nick, played by Terry Crews. Since January 2016, Denton has been a supporting cast member on Growing Up Hip Hop. Her daughter Egypt and niece Tahira Francis also appear on the show.
Personal Life and Family
Sandra Denton dated rapper Prince Markie Dee in the mid-1980s. She also briefly dated actor Will Smith. On July 6, 1990, Denton had her first child, a son named Tyran Denton Jr. His father was New York rapper Tyran "Tah-Tah" Moore.
Denton owned a clothing store called HollyHood. It opened in November 1995 in Atlanta, Georgia. On April 2, 1999, Denton married Treach (Anthony Criss) from the rap group Naughty by Nature. They had dated on and off for seven years. Their wedding ceremony was held at their home in Morristown, New Jersey, on July 24, 1999. Denton and Treach had one daughter, Egypt Jahnari Criss, born on September 2, 1998. They divorced in 2001.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986)
- A Salt with a Deadly Pepa (1988)
- Blacks' Magic (1990)
- Very Necessary (1993)
- Brand New (1997)
Film and Television Roles
Pepa has appeared in various films and TV shows. Here are some of her notable roles:
- Stay Tuned (1992) - Herself
- Who's the Man? (1993) - Sherise
- Jason's Lyric (1994) - Sandy
- Joe's Apartment (1996) - Blank
- First Time Felon (1997) - Laverne
- Oz (2000–2003) - Officer Andrea Phelan (6 episodes)
- 3 A.M. (2001) - Ellen
- The Perfect Holiday (2007) - V-Jay
- Let's Talk About Pep (2010) - Herself (8 episodes)
- Are We There Yet? (2011) - Tammy
- Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014) - Polly
- Family Time (2015) - Herself
- Lip Sync Battle (2015) - Herself (Episode: "Sandra Denton vs. Cheryl James")
- Sandy Wexler (2017) - Testimonial
