club to club and from party to party, they celebrate their new fame with original raps and a handful of not-so-easy covers, including a pumped-up "Shake Your Thang," sung with the go-go band E.U., and a metalized "I Gotcha," complete with splattering, Bonhamesque drums. In the best rap tradition, Salt-n-Pepa balance humor, arrogance and practicality; in the chorus of "Solo Power," they seem on the verge of singing, "Let's get laid," but always come out instead with "Let's get paid."

Salt-n-Pepa – the first female rappers to cross over – neither ignore their sexuality nor exploit it. It's just one part of the big equal-opportunity mix, whose only rule is "Shake it or take it somewhere else." As Salt-n-Pepa sing, "See those chairs, please just ignore them/Believe me, there'll be no need for them." (RS 540)

ROB HOERBURGER