DJ Spinderella talks splitting from Salt-N-Pepa, pitfalls of the music industry and “Push It”

On the latest episode of “Drink Champs,” N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN sat down with DJ Spinderella.

Spinderella was raised in a New York City household where music was always in the atmosphere. By her teenage years, she was in the thick of practicing her craft as a DJ. Clearly, she had something special because the young talent was soon named the third pillar of Salt-N-Pepa, an opportunity that was won via audition. Almost immediately, the group released their debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious, and embarked on a tour.

In the ensuing years and thanks to the massive commercial and cultural success of tracks like “Push It,” Salt-N-Pepa emerged as one of the most popular groups in Hip Hop while simultaneously representing women within the genre. The trio went on to release a number of albums and singles that earned them Billboard chart and Grammy Award-level success before parting ways decades later. Spinderella continued to immerse herself in the sphere of entertainment, collaborating with artists like Big Daddy Kane, appearing on reality TV and even securing roles in movies like Kazaam.

She keeps it real about the depths of her journey in the game in this conversation. Nine takeaways from the discussion can be found below, plus check out the full episode here.

1. On becoming Spinderella

DJ Spinderella touched on her origin story in the group and addressed how she adopted her stage moniker. “Spinderella was given to me. [By] Hurby [Azor]. Yes, there was a Spinderella before me. On the first Salt-N-Pepa album, Hot, Cool, & Vicious, there’s a picture of another young lady. She’s the first Spinderella. I can’t say what the story was. But they were looking for another female DJ for their first major tour,” she remembered. “They heard about me. They asked me to audition, and I auditioned. And I got it.”

2. On the power of DJing

The seasoned spinner’s face lit up when she got the opportunity to talk about what it’s like to be in her element as a disc jockey. “Sometimes the MC was always in the front and the DJ was the one behind. But when you know your power — and this is just with anything in life — when you know your power, you use it. And knowing that I could change people’s mood and make them happy, sad, mad… Whatever their vibe is, I can change that. That’s powerful. So, it’s inspiring to me as well as to those that are listening,” she explained.

3. On the period when DJs stopped being at the forefront

The role of the DJ was solidified in Hip Hop before the role of MCs, according to Spinderella. With that in mind, she attempted to nail down the period when rappers started leading the charge. “The golden era of Hip Hop is considered the late ‘80s to early ‘90s. And in that timeframe, I think of all the groups that had DJs: Whodini, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince… That was the thing right? EPMD with DJ Scratch. Naughty By Nature. The Beastie Boys… I feel like that may have happened when the gangster era came in,” she pondered. “I feel like in the mid ‘90s to late ‘90s, that changed.”

4. On “Push It”

The pro beat master cleared up the perception around the theme of Salt-N-Pepa’s Billboard- charting track “Push It.” “It was not a sexual song. We were literally talking about dancing on the dance floor. And people took that and took it the other way. And it actually worked for us,” she recalled before detailing how that mistaken sentiment affected them in real life. “Being on stage and being told that, ‘If you play that song here, you can get arrested.’ So, there were times where that was almost the case. And somehow, we got to a point where we just had to convince everybody that this is not about what you think it’s about. And that is the truth.”

5. On separating from Salt-N-Pepa

DJ Spinderella and her former group, Salt-N-Pepa, eventually went their separate ways. Why? She revealed, “Generally speaking, you just grow up. You just get to a point where things will not be tolerated. And respect should be mutual. And when respect is mutual, we can move and do whatever. But when respect is not mutual, then what are you here for? The bag. That don’t last because I can get a bag without it.” She went on to explain the process of them eventually getting into a better space with one another. “We had to get something straight. And unfortunately, it was publicized, and it had to be because there was a lot of work and legalities involved and dissecting royalties and things like that. And all of that has been dealt with,” the star added.

6. On music groups disbanding

Music groups have always been a thing, in every genre. But very few of them have stood the test of time in terms of staying intact. From the point of view of being in one, the master music mixer shared her thoughts on why people eventually go their separate ways. “It’s not perfect. Especially groups from back in the days… It’s not perfect. You name them and they have those issues. We’re all excited in the beginning. And then we grow up and we turn into who we are. And then we just kind of grow apart. And I notice that’s the case with most groups,” she stated. “I love to see [DJ Jazzy] Jeff and Will [Smith] together, I love that. I love when I see Chuck D and [Flavor] Flav come together. I like when I see old groups come together. But I do understand that you can’t make a square fit into a circle. You cannot. It might just be memories.”

7. On her message to Salt-N-Pepa

When asked what message she would send to Salt-N-Pepa right now if she had the chance, the longtime DJ candidly responded, “Let’s give the people what they want. And I also would say we have work to do internally. If that door is open, I’m open to that.” She continued, “I don’t wanna abandon our legacy. I just mentally have to do what needs to be done for myself. And there has to be mutual respect. And that’s it.” In terms of what could get the trio into a better space, she later added, “I feel like they don’t see what I’m saying. And in order for that to happen, you have to have a third party explain. A mediator. A therapist. Something that helps to sort what the needs are.”

8. On what she would fix in Hip Hop

DJ Spinderella has been a part of Hip Hop for four decades now. As someone who has watched the genre rapidly evolve, she weighed in on what she would “fix” if given the opportunity. “I guess the gatekeeping… I like that it’s open and people get to choose. But I feel like the powers that be kind of put in our face what it needs to be,” she said. “I’m a fan of Rapsody. But I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like to. So, I follow her. But I feel like they push in front of you who they want to make a star. And it makes you wonder, like, is this all a part of a plan to put in front of us what they want this to be?”

9. On young people entering the music industry

From the stance of a seasoned vet, she talked about the challenges of navigating the game, especially in these times. “These younger folks, I feel if they ain’t watching and learning, they’re gonna get hit hard. I always think about the new artists. The younger generation of artists. They’re gonna need therapy, eventually. Especially for the young women, and I’m not just talking about MCs,” the DJ declared. “It’s a lot to come through this. And with social media. We didn’t have social media like that. So yeah, get a therapist on deck.”

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