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Let's Talk About Pep [NOOK Book]
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The spiciest ingredient in the legendary rap group Salt-N-Pepa, fans know Sandy Denton as Pep, or Pepa, the fun-loving half of Salt-N-Pepa. But behind the laughs and the smiles is a whole lot of pain, and for the first time, in Let’s talk About Pep, she candidly talks about her troubled childhood, surviving abuse, her first encounters with Cheryl “Salt” James, instant success, her failed marriages and escape from domestic abuse, and her triumphant comeback on reality shows like The Surreal Life and The Salt-N-Pepa Show .
Filled with surprising insights, outrageous anecdotes, and celebrity cameos—including Queen Latifah, Martin Lawrence, Janice Dickinson, Missy Elliott, L.L. Cool J, Ron Jeremy, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez, and many others— Let’s Talk About Pep offers a fascinating glimpse behind the fame, family, failures, and success...and into the faithful heart of a woman who will always treasure the good friends she found along the way.
Every bit as captivating and provocative as her Grammy Award-winning music, this story reveals the real Pepa—upfront, uncensored, unstoppable—a true pioneer, survivor, and inspiration to women everywhere.
Chapter One
The Chameleon's Curse
I was born in Jamaica. My earliest memories are of being on my grandmother's farm in St. Elizabeth's, which was considered the cush-cush or upper-class section of Jamaica, between Negril and Kingston. We lived in what they called the country, and I just remember running free and not having a care in the world. I didn't come to the States until I was about six. That's when life became complicated.
I was the youngest of eight. The baby. My mother said I was the cutest baby she had ever seen. When I six months old, she entered me in this contest to be the face of O-Lac's, which was Jamaica's version of Gerber baby food. They were looking for a fat, healthy baby, and I won the contest. I was the face -- this smiling, fat, toothless baby -- on O-Lac's for years. I guess I was destined for stardom.
My parents moved to the United States when I was three. One by one, each of my sisters left, too. I know that my father had a government job in Jamaica. I don't know what happened with it. I just remember talk of "opportunity" and "education" in America.
In Jamaica, you had to pay for education after primary school. And getting an education was big in my family. So maybe that's why they left. I never asked. You didn't ask questions when I was growing up. My family was traditional, and kids didn't ask adults questions, you just accepted things -- whatever those things were.
I ended up being in Jamaica with my grandmother and one of my older sisters. My parents would come back from time to time, but I was there for a couple of years before they finally moved me to the States, too.
I loved my family, but I never quite fit in with them. I was always a little bit different. My sister Dawn was the rebel, the black sheep. I watched how she used to get beatings -- I mean real beatings, not some little old spankings -- and I didn't want any of that. My parents, mostly my father, tried to beat the rebellion out of Dawn. It didn't work, though. It might have made her more rebellious.
By the time I got to the States, she was hanging out with the wrong crowds, staying out way beyond the curfew and trying to sneak in the house and getting caught. She used to steal my father's gun. She would fight. And eventually she turned to drugs. But that was my girl! I looked up to Dawn. I just didn't want to suffer any of those beatings, so I was a "good girl." I did what I was told -- as far as they knew -- and I stayed out of trouble. But I was always a little different.
When I was on that farm in Jamaica, I would get into all kinds of trouble. One day I remember I got ahold of a machete. I was only like five years old. Don't ask me how I got it or where I got it from, but I had this machete and a bucket. I went around the farm looking for lizards or chameleons. They had all kinds of creatures on this farm, but there were a lot of chameleons. I was fascinated by them, watching them go to a green plant and turn green, then to the ground and turn brown. I walked around looking for them, and I would chop them in half and throw them into my bucket.
By the end of the day, I had a bucket full of chopped-up lizards. My sister came out and saw what I was doing and she scared the hell out of me.
"What is that you're doing?!" she screamed. "Dem lizards gwon ride ya."
She was telling me that the lizards were going to haunt me. That my doing that had unleashed some kind of curse.
"Dem gwon ride ya!" my sister kept saying in her Jamaican patois.
Well, they did ride me. As I got older, a lot of my friends would tell me, "You're such a chameleon."
It was true. I was real good at blending in. I was good at taking on whatever was around me. If I hung out with thugs, I would be a thug. If I hung out with a prince, it was nothing for me to become royalty. My ability to fit in has been a blessing, but also a curse.
The very thing that got me into Salt-N-Pepa -- going with the flow and doing what I was told -- was the same thing that got me in a lot of bad situations. Being a chameleon or just going with whatever wasn't good for me. It allowed me to put up with things I shouldn't have put up with. It allowed me to be with people I should not have been with because I wasn't able to just be myself and say no or walk away. It never let me ask, "What do I want out of life?" It never allowed me to really think about me and my needs first.
I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be accepted. I wanted people to like me. Copyright © 2008 by Sandra Denton
Introduction by Queen Latifah
Prologue Expression
Chapter One The Chameleon's Curse
Chapter Two Coming to America
Chapter Three "And You Better Not Tell!"
Chapter Four Heaven or Hell
Chapter Five Daddy's Girl
Chapter Six Salt-N-Pepa's Here
Chapter Seven My Scarface
Chapter Eight Big Fun
Chapter Nine Give Props to Hip-Hop
Chapter Ten Hurby Hate Bug
Chapter Eleven Somma Time Man: Tah Tah
Chapter Twelve Partying like Rock Stars
Chapter Thirteen Naughty by Nature
Chapter Fourteen Whatta Man
Chapter Fifteen The Nightmare
Chapter Sixteen Beauty and the Beat
Chapter Seventeen Joined at the Hip No More
Chapter Eighteen My Surreal Life
Chapter Nineteen Salt-N-Pepa's Here Again!
Chapter Twenty Blacks' Magic? God's Gift!
Chapter Twenty-one Celibacy: Very Necessary!
Chapter Twenty-two Do You Want Me? This Is What You Have to Do
Chapter Twenty-three PepTalk
Epilogue by Missy Elliot
pajluvs2read
Posted September 9, 2011
I read this book in 2009 2 times the first time I read it I could barely put it down. The second time I decided to re-read it to get all of the details that I may have missed the first time. This is one book that gives up a whole lot of information. She really opened up herself to us. I hope that she writes a part 2 and Salt writes a book let's talk about salt. The writer Karen Hunter did an excellent job she did not do what most writers do change the person so much that you think the book is fake. I am also gifted and I would really like to meet pep one day.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 29, 2011
I luv this book is great!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Radiah
Posted January 14, 2011
If you are a Salt N Pepa fan like myself this is a great inside into 1 3rd of the group and I think she did a great job Go Pep!
Radiah
LSJ31
Posted June 7, 2010
OK....I read all the reviews, some praising the book highly and others bashing it completely. I still purchased the e-book to read on my Nook anyway, because I wanted to gain my own perspective. I read the book in about 4 days, and I guess (my final thoughts) is that I fall somewhere in between...I didn't highly LOVE it but I must admit I didn't HATE it either. I must say the author Zane did a really great job, at times of arousing my sexual senses...with my man being locked up right now, there were a few times, when I wanted to throw the book down because I couldn't take it....so sistah girl got her point across. But after reading story after story...it started to become a bit redundant...you can only describe sex so many different ways...before u start repeating yourself. However, I thought it was a great read for getting you in the mood, and I did learn a thing or two, that I may want to try when my sweetie gets home...Bottom line, buy the book if you are still interested after reading the many reviews and make your own opinion.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I thought it could have been the writing was child like it didn't grap me. I read better books and could have done without this one. It has some interesting parts and it's is a look inside her life as well as a up bringer which would be interesting to any fan but nothing to write home about.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ms.couture
Posted March 18, 2009
was excellent book, i always thought pep was a real down to earth chick who keeps it real and this book confirmed it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 15, 2009
I Also Recommend:
The book seems small because I read the whole entire book in 2 hours but it is really easy but I'm not trying to say anything bad because it touching and if a person who hears her story and that same thing happend to them,they are not alone.I would recommend this book to my friends.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I read this book not really knowing what to expect. Well I reas this book within two days. If that does'nt say this book is good I dont kow what else to say. I read this book which is a true story and it made me think and realize alot of things that woman deal with and sometimes keep to ourselves. Well putting this information in a book, really changed the way I look at people and judge them and their situation. You really cant judge a book by its cover. This book was great!!! I told every woman I know about the book I kept it with me every where I went that's how I completed it so fast.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 21, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book, seeing everything Pep went through and seeing how she is now, she is truely blessed. I hope to read a part 2.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Caramel
Posted November 14, 2008
This book is goooooooooood. If you want the real truth about PEP and Tretch(Brad) read it;could not put the book down
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.upcomingauthor
Posted October 24, 2008
this book will be a good book. I am remarkably happy that she came out with a book, because I feel like she had alot to tell; and why not tell the world. Pep is a great woman and I wish the best for her. LOVE YOU.. A big fan..
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.hollyg
Posted October 14, 2008
I Also Recommend:
I appreciate Pep being so candid about alot of things about what was really going on at that time. Alot of us have lived thru the Salt & Pepa days we tried to act and dress like them cause they were the only ones who had class at that time. So we all must thank Pep and appreciate the fact that she wanted to finally tell her story. Wish she could have told the Whole Story.
It was definitely worth it
Anonymous
Posted September 10, 2008
This book is definitely a must read. Some of the stories I could relate to. A real eye opener.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 4, 2008
Pep was very candid in her book. I enjoyed reading the book. I appreciate her openess about her pain. The book wasn't a book to bash anyone, however it exposed Pep and I believe the writing of the book helped her to release and heal her hurt.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 18, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted January 26, 2010
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Anonymous
Posted January 11, 2010
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Anonymous
Posted May 9, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted August 3, 2009
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Anonymous
Posted October 8, 2010
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Overview
Now in paperback from Sandy “Pepa” Denton—rap legend and outspoken star of VH1’s smash-hit reality show—the juicy tell-all in which she talks about sex, music, life, love, fame, and so much more....
The spiciest ingredient in the legendary rap group Salt-N-Pepa, fans know Sandy Denton as Pep, or Pepa, the fun-loving half of Salt-N-Pepa. But behind the laughs and the smiles is a whole lot of pain, and for the first time, in Let’s talk About Pep, she candidly talks about her troubled childhood, surviving abuse, her first encounters with Cheryl “Salt” James, instant success, her failed marriages and escape from domestic abuse, and her triumphant comeback ...