Earlier this afternoon, Lifetime released its new film Salt-N-Pepa, which, as its name suggests, is a biopic that covers the ups and downs of racing of the first Grammy-winning platinum-selling female group, which sold platinum. Unlike some lifelong projects that have been dragged out of the wood over the years, Salt-N-Pepa is mostly licensed, meaning it was produced and co-written by both Salt and Pepa (and co-produced by his old friend Queen Latifah), But no, of course for the trio former third member, DJ Spinderella. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that Spinderella (also known as Diedre Roper, who joined the group shortly after their first album came out in 1985), and who spent over 30 years as a DJ) was fired from the group in 2019, after which she sued Salt and Pepa on unpaid royalty claims. (The lawsuit was eventually directed to mediation).
Given its integral role in the success of the group, it is not surprising that Roper appears in the film, played by Monique Jasmine Paul. Nor is it surprising that the real Roper is not especially happy for his inclusion, without participation, in the film, which has led today on Twitter to write, among other things, this “Words cannot completely express my disappointment when I learned that the decision was made to move forward with a biographical film of a lifetime that unfairly excluded me from all aspects of development and production … ”(I had words kind to Paul, however.)
G / O Media may receive a commission
As it happens, Salt and Pepa did talk this week (a little obliquely) about the removal of Spinderella from the group. Speaking a The Breakfast Club yesterday, Cheryl “Salt” James stated that she and Sandra “Pepa” Denton were already an established act when Spinderella was added to the group by producer Hurby Azor, and that Roper was always one “Added” to a consolidated dynamic dating back to the duo’s high school years. The reading is not particularly hard between lines, tits clear implication is that spins he was never, and never was, an equal member of the association, and that this certainty eventually led to his dismissal. (You can watch this part at 2:35 p.m. in the video below.)