Salt-N-Pepa Honored with NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame Award

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Salt-N-Pepa and longtime producer DJ Spinderella were honored with the prestigious Hall of Fame Award at this year’s NAACP Image Awards.

Over the weekend, hip-hop legends Salt-N-Pepa and longtime producer DJ Spinderella were honored with the prestigious Hall of Fame Award at the NAACP Image Awards. It’s the latest accolade in a culture-defining career, following the group’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction last November.

Presented by longtime friend, peer, and fellow hip-hop icon MC Lyte, the moment was a deeply personal one for the group. Instead of delivering her prepared remarks, Cheryl “Salt” James used the opportunity to recite the first verse of her new single “Kings & Queens” in a well-timed move—her latest album, Salty N Lit, is scheduled to arrive this summer. She also found the moment fitting as a celebration of legacy and cultural pride, addressing an audience “that radiated Black excellence from wall to wall.”

“As pioneers of hip-hop, Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella rewrote the rules and boldly claimed space in a genre that forever changed because of their voices, style, and undeniable talent,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson ahead of the ceremony. “Inducting them into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame is a celebration of more than an iconic career—it’s a tribute to trailblazers who opened doors, and inspired generations in a way that still resonates today.”

The Hall of Fame Award is presented to figures “who have been pioneers in their respective fields and whose influence continues to shape their industry for generations.” Last year, the Wayans family received the honor, while past inductees include the likes of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Earth Wind and Fire, Oprah Winfrey, and Eddie Murphy.

Another special music-related honoree during this year’s NAACP Image Awards was A$AP Rocky, who received the Vanguard Award for fashion.

The NAACP Hall of Fame Award recognition adds to an already historic chapter for Salt-N-Pepa, and closely follows the pair filing a notice of appeal over the dismissal of their lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG). Filed on February 4, the notice challenges the ruling from January 8 that dismissed their claims against UMG over the rights to their master recordings.