Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2025, which celebrates a career in music, inducted hip-hop legends Salt-N-Pepa into the next class of The Hall. They were inducted by 2023’s inductee Missy Elliot.

After performing a medley of their biggest hits, with DJ Spinderella, their long-time producer Hurby Azor, En Vogue and Kid N’ Play, the ladies thanked all the people who inspired them, advocated for more women in the music industry, and spoke out against that same industry as they continue a fight for the rights to their music.

 

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“This journey, hip hop, has been very amazing,” Pepa (Sandra Denton) said. “From us rocking mics with chords to no chords. I mean, it’s been everything. I mean, every lesson, every late night, every early morning, all the accomplishment, the empowerment to women that all shaped us as a group today. I thank y’all. And just, you know, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, So I understood and learned that to take the good with the bad.”

@jessicagolich Missy Elliot inducts @Salt-N-Pepa Official into @Rock Hall 2025 🔥👑 #saltnpeparockhall #rockhall2025 #rockandrollhalloffame2025 #rockhall25 #hiphop ♬ original sound – JessicaGolich

Spinderella (Deidre Roper), one of the pioneers of women DJs, made history becoming the first female DJ inducted into the Rock Hall. “I will be celebrating 40 years as a DJ next year,” she said. “…How crazy is that? It’s crazy because when I started, it was a rare thing to see a woman behind turntables. It was literally the boys club. So I just, I had to carve my own lane. I had to show up. It was dedication. It was my craft. And I never missed a beat. …So tonight, being the first female DJ inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it’s beyond amazing and so surreal. I carry every female DJ who ever dared to dream, every woman who touched the turntable and said, I can do that too. This is for you. This is ours…Salt-N-Pepa, thank you for opening your door to your little sister… Hurby, for the vision.”

@jessicagolich LEGENDS @Salt-N-Pepa Official rocking the stage at @Rock Hall #saltnpeparockhall #rockhall2025 #hiphop #rockandrollhalloffame2025 ♬ original sound – JessicaGolich

Salt (Cheryl James) thanked those who helped them rise to the top, acknowledging that they made history but also called out their record label over the rights to the group’s master recordings.

“Thank you guys. We love you. We love you. We love you,” she said. “This moment right here, this is bigger than us. This is for every woman who picked up a mic when they told her she couldn’t. every sister who had to fight twice as hard to be heard, but every artist, whoever, had to learn that ownership is the real freedom.”

About their fight with label James said “We’re in a fight right now for our masters that rightfully belong to us. After 40 years, as we celebrate this moment, fans can’t even stream our music. It’s been taken down from all streaming platforms
because the industry still doesn’t want to play fair. Thank you. Salt and Peppa have never been afraid of a fight. This is the influence award. We have to keep using our influence until the industry honors creativity the way the audience does, with love, respect, and fairness. And that includes streaming platforms too. Hip-hop gave us a voice and we’ll keep using it.”

Salt-N-Pepa had a number of hits including “Push It,” “Expression,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “Shoop,” and “Whatta Man” with En Vogue.

@jessicagolich @Salt-N-Pepa Official bring out @En Vogue at @Rock Hall 2025 🔥😫 #saltnpeparockhall #saltnpeppaenvogue #rockhall2025 #rockhall25 ♬ original sound – JessicaGolich

Inducted in the 2025 class along with Salt-N-Pepa were Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes in the Performer category, along with Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon for Musical Influence, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye for Musical Excellence, and Lenny Waronker for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is available to stream on Disney+.