As more veterans of Hip-Hop are stepping back onto the scene, one icon is throwing her hat into the ring. Cheryl “Salt” James of the pioneering group Salt-N-Pepa is setting out to release her debut solo album.
The Grammy Award-winning MC’s debut album, Salty N Lit, will be released on Sept. 25. It will premiere on her own label, Salt Songs Inc. Fans will find that the album’s tone draws strongly from Salt’s own artistry and personal foundation.
There is a distinct spiritual strength in the album, stemming from the teachings of the Bible, particularly from Matthew 5:13 in the New Testament, which inspired the album’s title.
The 15-track album features appearances by Erica Campbell of Mary Mary, Chuck D, Shanice and Dee-1, and four singles have already been released. Each song shows Salt’s magnetism and lyrical strength, appealing to old and new fans alike.
“This album is personal, the lyrics are written from my perspective, based on my life experience, and who I am now. This is a labor of love, I have something I want to say, and this is me expressing myself,” says Salt in the press release. “This ain’t a gospel album but the gospel is all through it. There’s no question about what I believe. I’m making music for the people who appreciate me and my contribution to Hip-Hop. I don’t have anything to prove, I’m just doing what I do. I ain’t finished. I ain’t done.”
Salty N Lit will debut as Salt is currently on the road with her bandmate Pepa as co-headliners of the IT’S ICONIC Tour alongside En Vogue and TLC. The tour, which kicked off on Thursday in Saratoga Springs, New York, will roll through 28 cities in the U.S. with a stop in Toronto, Canada, before it ends on Oct. 11 in Concord, California.
