Lifetime’s biopic on the groundbreaking hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa debuted on Saturday, Jan. 23, and chronicled the group’s historic rise in the male-dominated rap game. However, one member of the group, DJ Spinderella, is not happy about the biopic and claims she was excluded from the making of the project.
DJ Spinderella, whose real name is Deidra Roper, hit up Twitter with a series of tweets on Friday. Jan. 22, explaining her grievances and why she couldn’t support the film.
“Sorry, but I gotta speak on this Lifetime special …,” she tweeted. “Too often, Black women who have made meaningful contributions in their industry are left out of historical narratives. Back when Salt n’ Pepa was building our legacy, which is rooted in empowering women, I could not have dreamed that this same group would one day disempower me. Words cannot fully express my disappointment when I learned a decision was made to move forward with a Lifetime biopic that wrongfully excluded me from every aspect of development and production … all the while using my image throughout, given that I played an integral role in the group’s story and success.”
In 2019, Spinderella sued her former bandmates for unpaid royalties and a confidential settlement was reached. She also previously claimed that she was excluded from Salt-N-Pepa’s Vh-1 television show. “There’s nothing more unacceptable than a woman being silenced by another woman,” the turntablist posted on Twitter.
“It is for this reason, I will not be supporting [the biopic]. I do, however, want to offer a huge congratulations to the talented actresses that represented us, including Monique Paul, who I wish would’ve been given an opportunity to share my true perspective with. In reflection, I’m grateful I’ve managed to uphold a 30-year career of truly empowering women with my gift, against all odds. This will continue in my work and in my service.”
Spinderella did reveal that she has her own book in the works. “The great news is I’m in the final stages of writing my memoir, a personal journey navigating through life, relationships, and the industry that raised me,” she added on Twitter. “Thirty plus years is a lot of content and I’m ready to share. Thank you, as always to my family, friends, and loyal followers of Team Spin. I’m forever grateful to all of you for your support and love throughout the years.”
Salt-N-Pepa was directed by Mario Van Peebles. Queen Latifah was also one of the co-producers of the project.
