Salt N Pepa During The Golden Era

Vanderbilt University

Hip Hop in the Feminist Context

An Analysis of Salt-N-Pepa’s Blacks’ Magic

Gigi Bruns

MUSL 1670

Professor Chase

6 April 2023

During the Golden Era, many prominent rappers utilized their music to convey powerful messages about events related to the Black experience. Whether this was related to police brutality, unemployment, racism, or beef with rappers from different coasts, rappers used their music to discuss issues that were important to them. With this type of music and popularity, artists were able to use their platforms to amplify their message to the masses. However, a common denominator for many of these artists was that they were male. In hip hop, there is a historically strong male presence, resulting

Thus, the large majority of music being produced was tailored toward the male experience and negative messages about the treatment of women were amplified. Although, there were changes that began to occur with the rise in the number of female artists during this period. One of the most prominent female hip hop groups with an important role in the Golden Era was Salt-N-Pepa. Salt-N-Pepa, composed of artists Salt, Pepa, and DJ Spinderella, are one of the most influential female groups in the history of hip hop. After the path was created by other female artists, like Sylvia Robinson, Salt-N-Pepa continued to pioneer the way for other female artists to be successful in the world of hip hop. What made Salt-N-Pepa so special was their focus on female empowerment and the female experience. In Salt-N-Pepa’s album, Blacks’ Magic, the group brought forth messages of female empowerment, gender equality, and safe sex during a time in which women, especially women of color, were constantly degraded in other hip hop albums. As one of their most popular

Throughout the album, Salt-N-Pepa utilizes strong messages to empower women to be independent of men and to let their most authentic selves through, regardless of what society says. One of their most popular songs on the album, “Expression,” does just that. Using a lively and memorable beat, Salt-N-Pepa uses stories of fictional characters (with only first names) and positive messages to create a female power anthem. The music itself is especially catchy, making it both danceable and easy to remember. The fictional names Salt-N-Pepa use all rhyme with each other creating a smooth transition between each line of the song. Further, the main line of the chorus, “Express yourself,” can be heard between different rap verses of the group and becomes ingrained in one's mind the first time one hears the song. “Express yourself” also serves as a reminder to women to be their true selves, regardless of any man or other individual. Additionally, Salt-N-Pepa included phrases such as “I'm not a man, but I'm in command / Hot damn, I got an all-girl band” (Salt-N-Pepa “Expression”) to emphasize the power