"Let's Talk About Pep"

Sandy

“Pepa” Denton talks to

“Essence” about her

new

book,

“Let’s

Talk

About Pep.” The following is an excerpt from that interview.

ESSENCE.COM: You detail your stormy marriage to Anthony 'Treach' Criss, from Naughty by Nature, and the years of abuse he put you through. Have you ever had an opportunity to talk to him, post-divorce, about how it affected you?

PEPA: No, and honestly, he's the one person I'm nervous about reading this, but I had to do it. How do I not tell that part of my life story? This book is not so much about my abuse, but my road to recovery.

ESSENCE.COM: For years, there had been industry whisperings about you and Treach's tumultuous marriage. Has he ever reached out to you to apologize?

PEPA: No, and I want to make it clear it is what it is. From what I know, people grow and that might have been who he was in the past. I can't speak for who he is now. Hopefully, this was then. He really is a great father to his kids. I don't want to make him out to be the bad guy. Again, the real story I wanted to tell is more about why I allowed these things to happen to me.

ESSENCE.COM: Understood, and anyone can appreciate that. There's no question that we're all a work in progress. Where are you on your road to recovery?

PEPA: Honestly, I'm really there. Of course, you're always open for improvement. But when I think about the type of person I was and how I viewed life, I'm like, 100 percent. I'm nowhere near where I was before this personal journey. Again, there's always room to grow and I'll continue to do that. Finally, I'm not fronting. Now, I'm so on point and have finally figured me out. People always say they want this kind of [self-actualization] and knowing our self-worth. I'm in a good place, and I really feel like I'm on my A-game right now.

Visit http://www.essence.com/ to read the entire interview.