''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' is the debut studio album by American

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

trio

Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip-hop, hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (rapper), Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (rapper), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). ...

. Released by

Next Plateau Records Next Plateau Entertainment (formerly Next Plateau Records) is an American record label that currently operates in association with Republic Records. Background 1980s New York City-based independent label Next Plateau Records began in the early ...

on December 1, 1986, it was the first rap album by a female rap act to attain gold and platinum status in the US. ''Hot, Cool, & Vicious'' reached the

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...

on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The album included the single " Push It", which reached the top 20 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number two on the UK Singles Chart after being propelled by a remix, and was nominated for

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...

at the

31st Annual Grammy Awards The 31st Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 22, 1989, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. This also the first Grammy Awards Ceremony with a separate rap section. Album ...

. The album has sold approximately four million copies worldwide. It became the first album by a female rap act to attain gold and platinum status by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA).

Release

The album features the songs "The Showstopper" and "I'll Take Your Man", recorded and released prior to the full album's release. It also includes R&B radio favorites "Tramp" and "My Mic Sound Nice". In 1987, the addition of the single " Push It" (US #19, UK #2), along with the replacement of two other tracks with remixed versions, propelled the album to

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

, then

platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...

status in the United States, and made it the first album by a female rap act (or group) to attain gold and platinum certifications from the

. "Push It" was also certified platinum.

Reception

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' placed ''Hot, Cool & Vicious'' at number 18 on their list of the best releases of 1987. The album was certified platinum in the US, making the trio the first female rap act to have a gold or platinum album.

Track listing

Notes

* "Push It (Remix)" was not part of the original track listing of the 1986 release of ''Hot, Cool & Vicious'', which also included the original unedited and unremixed versions of "Tramp" and "Chick on the Side". The original version of "Push It" was recorded in 1987 and added to later pressings of the album.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hot, Cool and Vicious 1986 debut albums Albums produced by Hurby Azor Albums recorded at Greene St. Recording Next Plateau Entertainment albums Salt-N-Pepa albums