Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa ) is an American hip-hop group formed in Queens , New York in 1985. Group members included Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). They were signed to Next Plateau Records and released their single " Push It " in 1987, which hit number one in three countries and became a top 10 or top 20 hit in various countries. Their debut album Hot, Cool & Vicious sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making them the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status . Their fourth album Very Necessary sold over 7 million copies worldwide (5 million in the U.S.), making it the highest-selling album by a female rap act in history at the time.