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.
Shake Your Thang
Salt-N-Pepa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a funky beat with a go-go swing
Everyone was watching, they stared in shock
Amazed at how Salt and Pepa was rockin the place
With a smile on my face
Some got upset and then tried to base
They called us nasty, said we danced dirty
Claimed we were freaks, cheap, even flirty
I was all set not to jet but to jump
Spin broke it up and asked not to break
Said, "They don't understand the way you"
Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang (It's your thing)
Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to
Shake that thing, c'mon, y'all, shake it
We could get loose, but we can't get naked
It's not a crime, it's legal, we answered
Look again - see? We're just dancin'
Relax a bit, now ain't that better?
I think it's time for you to get a
Partner, doe-see, gather in closely
I wanna see the ones that mostly
Front on a cutie, hope you're not fruity
Do your duty and
Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang (It's your thing)
Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to
Come on, y'all, shake that thing
You got to just show no shame
I want you to shake that thing
Come on, y'all, show no shame
Shake your thang, yeah yeah
Oh, you're lookin' sweet, baby
Owww, I won't tell you how to catch a groove
It's my thing, and I'll swing it the way that I feel
With a little seduction and some sex appeal
It's Friday night, and I just got paid
I'm checking out the fella with the high-top fade
Moving in closely, ready for the kill
Steppin' on a dance floor, think you're ill
But if I guy touch my body I just put him in check
I said, "We just met", "We can't do that yet"
I'm not a pick-up (no), this ain't a stick up (boy)
I'm not stuck up (yeah), and turn to kick up
And just rock, baby-pop, don't stop
Stick out your butt, and shake what you got
Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang (It's your thing)
Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to
Oooo, I like hip-hop mixin' with go-go, baby
It's my thing, and I shake it crazy
Don't try and tell me how to party
It's my dance, yup, and it's my body
The shirt I wear may be low cut
My jeans fit nice, it shows off my butt
Designer down from head to toe
Oooo, my hair, neck, and fingers is crazy-glow
Now please stop blushin', we're just dancing, dummy
C'mon, we both know I don't want you for your money
Cuz we like to rap so we always rhyme
I like to dance, oooo, and I like to grind
I like this song, I like this beat
I'll see you later, where shall we
Shake your thang, owww
Do what you wanna do
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
It's your thang (It's your thing)
Do what you wanna do
I won't tell you who to sock it to
The lyrics in Salt-N-Pepa's song Shake Your Thang encourage listeners to express themselves freely on the dance floor. The song features a funky, go-go beat that the group used to showcase their talent and get people moving. The lyrics detail a night at a dance party where Salt-N-Pepa are enjoying themselves until some people in the crowd start to insult them. They are called "nasty," "freaks," "cheap," and "flirty" for their dancing, and one person even threatens them. However, the group refuses to let the negativity bring them down and encourages everyone to shake their thing and enjoy their own groove.
The song's message is one of empowerment and individuality. Salt-N-Pepa wants people to dance and express themselves without fear or criticism from others. They insist that everyone has their own "thang," and it's important to embrace and celebrate it. The duo is known for their advocacy for women's rights and equality, and this song aligns with those themes by promoting self-confidence and freedom of expression.
Overall, Salt-N-Pepa's song Shake Your Thang is a celebration of individuality and empowerment through dance. Its catchy beat and lyrics encourage listeners to let loose and embrace their unique style on the dance floor.
Line by Line Meaning
We was on a dance floor shakin' our thing
We were dancing on the floor with our own unique style
To a funky beat with a go-go swing
We were dancing to a catchy beat infused with go-go music
Everyone was watching, they stared in shock
The people around us were surprised and amazed by our dancing
Amazed at how Salt and Pepa was rockin the place
People were impressed with how great we were dancing and enjoying ourselves
With a smile on my face
We were happy and having fun
Some got upset and then tried to base
Some people got angry and tried to degrade us
They called us nasty, said we danced dirty
Those people criticized us by saying we were indecent and vulgar in our dance moves
Claimed we were freaks, cheap, even flirty
They accused us of being strange, disgraceful and flirtatious
Pepa got pissed and pulled out a pump
Pepa got angry and took out a gun
I was all set not to jet but to jump
I was ready to fight back and defend myself
Spin broke it up and asked not to break
Someone intervened and asked us to stop arguing and fighting
Said, "They don't understand the way you"
He said: They don't understand the way you dance and express yourselves
Shake your thang, owww
Move your body the way you want
Do what you wanna do
Do what makes you happy
I can't tell you how to catch a groove
I can't teach you how to dance or enjoy music
It's your thang (It's your thing)
Your body is yours to move and enjoy
I won't tell you who to sock it to
I won't judge who you choose to dance with or how you move your body
We could get loose, but we can't get naked
We can express ourselves freely in our dancing but not cross the boundary of indecency
It's not a crime, it's legal, we answered
We defended ourselves by saying that dancing is not a crime, it is legal
Look again - see? We're just dancin'
Take a second look, we are just enjoying dancing
Relax a bit, now ain't that better?
Calming down and enjoying the music is better
I think it's time for you to get a
It's time for you to find a partner
Partner, doe-see, gather in closely
Find a partner and dance closely together
I wanna see the ones that mostly
I want to see those who usually shy away from dancing
Front on a cutie, hope you're not fruity
Don't be afraid to ask someone to dance, don't be shy
Do your duty and
It's your responsibility to enjoy and participate in the dance party
Come on, y'all, shake that thing
Everyone, let's dance and have fun
You got to just show no shame
Don't be ashamed to enjoy yourself and dance freely
It's my thing, and I'll swing it the way that I feel
I will express myself and move my body the way it feels best to me
With a little seduction and some sex appeal
With a little bit of flirting and charm
It's Friday night, and I just got paid
It's the weekend and I have some money to spend
I'm checking out the fella with the high-top fade
I'm noticing and interested in a guy with a certain hairstyle
Moving in closely, ready for the kill
Approaching him and getting ready to dance with him
Steppin' on a dance floor, think you're ill
Stepping on the dance floor feeling confident and good
But if a guy touch my body I just put him in check
If someone touches me without my consent, I will make sure they know it's not okay
I said, "We just met", "We can't do that yet"
I am just getting to know him and we can't be physical yet
I'm not a pick-up (no), this ain't a stick up (boy)
I am not looking for a one-time hookup, this is not a robbery
I'm not stuck up (yeah), and turn to kick up
I am not snobbish, I just want to have fun
And just rock, baby-pop, don't stop
Let's keep dancing all night
Stick out your butt, and shake what you got
Move your body and shake your hips
Oooo, I like hip-hop mixin' with go-go, baby
I like when different genres of music blend together
It's my thing, and I shake it crazy
I am unique, and I express myself in my own way
Don't try and tell me how to party
Don't tell me how to enjoy myself
It's my dance, yup, and it's my body
This is my dance and my body, and I will move it however I choose
The shirt I wear may be low cut
The top I'm wearing may show some skin
My jeans fit nice, it shows off my butt
My jeans fit great, and they show off my figure
Designer down from head to toe
I am wearing designer clothes from top to bottom
Oooo, my hair, neck, and fingers is crazy-glow
My hair, neck, and fingers are sparkling and shining
Now please stop blushin', we're just dancing, dummy
Stop being shy or embarrassed, we are just dancing and having fun
C'mon, we both know I don't want you for your money
Let's be honest, I don't like you for your money
Cuz we like to rap so we always rhyme
We like to sing and dance, and everything falls into place
I like this song, I like this beat
I enjoy this music and the way it moves me
I'll see you later, where shall we
We'll see each other later, where do you want to go next?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: LEWIS A. MARTINEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lezlethal
2:03 one of the best moments in hip-hop history. Salt-n-Pepa doing the kick step with Kid N Play.
@marcustrice3246
I heard that Kid N Play were dancers with Salt N Peppa b4 they did their own thing.
@elhombrenegro4999
Yes herb and them
@thelionessreigns
@Marcus Trice It's true.
@roshonbody3199
@Marcus Trice They were more than dancers. They all knew each other before the fame and record deals.
@curtiswhiteheadjr1322
💯
@lashunrickhuynh
This never gets old. So many memories. I miss those days with GOGO music, HBCUs, etc.
@MrJnx713
It was a great time wasn't it
@trinaj9749
@MrJnx713 Yes it was
@pyeshonjackson279
I was 15 . This is a classic