| DJ Spinderella | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Deidra Muriel Roper |
| Also known as | Dee Dee Roper, DJ Spin |
| Born | August 3, 1971 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip-hop |
| Occupations | DJ, producer |
| Instruments | Turntables, rapping |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Next Plateau, Red Ant, PolyGram |
| Associated acts | Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Run DMC, Kid N Play |
Deidra Muriel Roper (born August 3, 1971), known as DJ Spinderella, is an American DJ and rapper who was a member of the hip-hop group, Salt-N-Pepa. Her name is a reference to the classic fairy tale Cinderella.
Contents |
Roper replaced DJ Latoya Hanson as Spinderella after Hanson missed several rehearsals and group appearances. The group's producer, Herbie "LuvBug" Azor, held auditions to find a new DJ.[1] Then unknown radio and TV personality Wendy Williams was one of the women auditioning for the DJ role. Roper was selected as the group's DJ, taking the name Spinderella, around the time the group's first album was being released. Since she was sixteen at the time of joining, the group needed her parent's permission for Roper to travel around the country; which her parents gave. The trio would go on to become the most successful selling female hip-hop act, and one of the most successful hip-hop groups, male or female. They released five studio albums and saw several platinum and gold singles. Spinderella has also produced several songs on the group's albums. The group disbanded in 2002.
Spinderella worked as a radio personality on the now-defunct KKBT 100.3 in Los Angeles, California, cohosting "The BackSpin", a nationally syndicated weekly radio show featuring old school hip-hop. She also appeared on several episodes of the VH1 reality series The Salt N Pepa Show. Roper now works in Dallas, TX for Radio-One Inc. - KSOC 94.5 K-Soul.
She appeared briefly on VH1's first annual Hip Hop Honors in November 2004, with her group members, but they did not perform. All three members did perform on the second Hip Hop Honors on September 22, 2005. This was their first performance as Salt-N-Pepa since 1999. In 2007, she acted as DJ for The Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav. On October 23, 2008, the group performed their hit singles "Shoop", "Push It", and "Whatta Man" at the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards.
In 1992, Spinderella appeared in the film Stay Tuned. That same year, she also had her first and only child, a daughter named Christy, with NBA basketball player Kenny Anderson.[2] In 1996, she appeared in the film Kazaam which starred Shaquille O'Neal. She opened her own beauty salon on October 21, 1997, the same year that the group released their final album Brand New. After this album, she was to have released a solo album but this never materialized as Salt-N-Pepa's record label, Red Ant, ceased operations. Her daughter Christy later appeared in an episode of My Super Sweet 16, throwing herself a party which included skaters and dancers.
Spinderella occasionally DJs at various club events around the United States.