Salt-N-Pepa is an American R&B and hip-hop group, consisting of Cheryl Jame… Read Full Bio ↴Salt-N-Pepa is an American R&B and hip-hop group, consisting of Cheryl James and Sandy Denton ("Salt" and "Pepa", respectively), and Deidre "Dee Dee" Roper (DJ Spinderella). They debuted with "The Show Stopper", a response record to Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick's "The Show". It was an underground hit and Salt-N-Pepa signed to Next Plateau. Their debut LP was Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986, which was produced by Salt's then-boyfriend, Hurby Azor, the group's manager, and he received songwriting credit for the album, though this was later disputed. According to AMG it also featured DJ Pamela Green, though they do not include her in their list of credits, and neither does the album sleeve.

Hot, Cool & Vicious received little attention until a San Francisco DJ named Cameron Paul created a remix of "Push It" (The b-side to "Tramp"). Mr. Paul's remix of "Push It", rereleased as a single, quickly became a national hit and was nominated for a Grammy, pushing both the single and LP to Platinum album status.

They released A Salt With a Deadly Pepa, which was only a minor hit, though it featured "Shake Your Thang". Their third original LP, Blacks Magic, which received generally positive reviews and expanded Salt-N-Pepa's fanbase among hip hop fans using more R&B. It included "Let's Talk About Sex", one of their biggest songs.

Salt-N-Pepa left Next Plateau and the influence of Azor released "Very Necessary", a largely self-produced album in 1993 (see 1993 in music), and it performed very well on the charts, buoyed by "Shoop" and "Whatta Man" (with En Vogue). In 1994, they appeared in the motion picture "Who's The Man?".

The less commercially successful single "None of Your Business," won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1995. Since Very Necessary, both Salt and Pepa have focused primarily on their acting careers. They released their final album "Brand New" in 1997.

Despite their girl group beginnings, Salt-N-Pepa insist that they wrote many of the lyrics on their first album, and by Blacks Magic they displayed a sex positive, and responsible, feminism, and are often seen as innovators or role models.

In March 1999, Salt-N-Pepa embarked on their final live tour. Pepa (Sandy Denton) married Treach of Naughty By Nature on July 27, 1999. Salt-N-Pepa's greatest-hits album, entitled Salt-N-Pepa: The Best Of was released on January 25, 2000. Treach and Pepa were divorced on July 31, 2001. The group officially disbanded in 2002. Upon disbanding, Salt (Cheryl James) claimed she had become a born-again Christian, and would no longer be involved in hip-hop. However, all that changed when Cheryl announced that she would be releasing her first solo cd "Salt of the Earth" which later changed to "Salt Unrapped".

Cheryl James and Sandy Denton appeared on VH1's Hip Hop Honors in November 2004 without Spinderella. They did not perform.

In March 2005, it was announced that Sandy Denton would join Jose Canseco, Bronson Pinchot, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, Caprice Bourret, Janice Dickinson, and Carey Hart on the 5th season of the VH1 series The Surreal Life.

Salt-N-Pepa reunited on September 22, 2005, and gave their first performance in six years. They sang Whatta Man, along with En Vogue, as a part of VH1's Hip Hop Honors program.

Pump Up the Jam
Salt-N-Pepa Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pump up the jam, pump it up
While you feet are stompin'
And the jam is pumpin'
Look at here the crowd is jumpin'
Pump it up a little more
Get the party going on the dance floor
Seek us that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you're too bad

I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day

Make my day
Make my day
Make my day
Make my day

Pump up the jam, pump it up
While you feet are stompin'
And the jam is pumpin'
Look at here the crowd is jumpin'
Pump it up a little more
Get the party going on the dance floor
Seek us that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you're too bad

I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day

Make my day
Make my, make my, make
Make my day
Make my day
Make my day
Make my, make my, make
Make my day

Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it up, yo, pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it, pump it, pump it

Pump up the jam
Pump up the jam
Pump up the jam, pump it up
Pump it, pump it, pump it
Pump up the jam
Pump up the jam
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it, pump it, pump it

Pump up the jam, pump it up
While you feet are stompin'
And the jam is pumpin'
Look at here the crowd is jumpin'
Pump it up a little more
Get the party going on the dance floor
Seek us that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you're too bad

I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day

Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it up, yo, pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it, pump it, pump it

Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it up, yo, pump it
Pump up the jam, pump it
Pump it, pump it, pump it up
Pump it up

Make my day
Make my day
Make my, make my, make
Make my day
Make my day
Make my day
Make my, make my, make
Make my day, yo

I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day

I don't want a place to stay
Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day
I don't want a place to stay

Get your booty on the floor tonight
Make my day

Overall Meaning

The song "Pump Up the Jam" by Salt-N-Pepa is a classic dance track that encourages listeners to let loose, dance and have fun. The lyrics speak to the power of music to bring people together and create a party atmosphere. The repeated phrase "pump up the jam" is a call to action, encouraging the listener to turn up the volume and get the party started.

The verse "I don't want a place to stay, get your booty on the floor tonight, make my day" is a clear invitation to dance and have a good time. Salt-N-Pepa are telling the listener to forget about everything else and just focus on having fun on the dance floor.

The bridge "make my day, make my, make my, make my day" is a catchy hook that emphasises the fun and happiness that can be found on the dance floor. The repetition of the phrase reinforces the idea that dancing is an escape from the stresses of everyday life and provides a sense of joy and release.

Overall, "Pump Up the Jam" is a song that celebrates the power of music to bring people together and create a joyful, carefree atmosphere. It is a timeless classic that continues to inspire dance lovers around the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Pump up the jam, pump it up
Increase the energy and excitement of the music

While you feet are stompin'
As you dance and move to the beat

And the jam is pumpin'
When the music is thumping and lively

Look at here the crowd is jumpin'
Observe the audience bouncing and enjoying themselves

Pump it up a little more
Increase the volume and intensity of the music slightly

Get the party going on the dance floor
Create an enjoyable atmosphere for dancing and socializing

Seek us that's where the party's at
Find us, the performers, as we are the source of fun and excitement

And you'll find out if you're too bad
Join us and show us if you are a skilled and impressive dancer

I don't want a place to stay
I am not interested in simply being in a location

Get your booty on the floor tonight
Dance and move your body tonight

Make my day
Amuse and entertain me

Pump up the jam
Increase the power and impact of the music

A pump it up yo pump it
Reinforce and repeat the action of increasing the music's intensity

Pump it, pump it, pump it
Continue to pump the music up and maintain the lively atmosphere

Pump up the jam, pump it up
Once again, increase the energy of the music

Pump it, pump it, pump it
Continue to maintain the liveliness and vibrancy of the music

Make my day, yo
Entertain me and captivate my attention

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Manuela Kamosi, Thomas De Quincey

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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