NobleMag

ESSENCE: 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: 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: That's truly a
blessing. In your book you say that your decision to change your
patterns with abusive relationships had to do with your son, Tyran, and
Egypt, your daughter with Treach. Did they ever witness the physical
abuse and question you about it?

PEPA:
No, never physical, but they were often present during yelling and
screaming matches. People forget that verbal abuse is equally
unhealthy. My kids used to see me crying and depressed all the time,
and that can affect kids as well.

salt and pepa, treach