Music groups are almost destined to fall apart as the individual members hunt to find fame for themselves.

So, what’s the secret?

I remember playing spades in the lunchroom and guess what?

Sandra “Pepa” Denton and Cheryl “Salt” James smiling on the red carpet for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest in 2020

We are playing spades right now.

But I used to see [James] in the lunchroom and she would be so quiet.

I used to watch her and ask myself, ‘Why isn’t she joining the party?'"

Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton visiting “Extra” at The Levi’s Store in New York’s Times Square.

Laughter was contagious when we were together.

We always made each other laugh.

So yes, our initial attraction was laughter.

It was later we found out that we were both huge hip-hop fans."

We’d just hang around in the lunchroom playing cards, and we formed this amazing friendship.

Because we were polar opposites, we fascinated each other."

So, how did music enter the picture?

“[Producer Herby “Luv Bug” Azor] and I were in a relationship.

Denton considered the impromptu session “an audition,” and from there, Salt-N-Pepa was born.