Synopsis

Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue turn a neighborhood block into a stylish celebration of admirable men. The video alternates between performance scenes, choreographed group numbers, and playful vignettes featuring the women admiring their partners and other confident, hardworking men. Salt-N-Pepa deliver the rap verses while En Vogue anchor the soulful chorus, with fashion, attitude, and flirtatious humor driving the visual. Cameos from 2Pac and Treach add extra star power, reinforcing the video's mix of romance, hip-hop charisma, and early-1990s glamour.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was shot in New York City in 1993, and photographs from the shoot are held by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

• The man seen with Salt is 2Pac. His face is mostly concealed, turning his appearance into one of the video's most recognizable secrets.

• Treach of Naughty by Nature also appears, making the clip a notable meeting point for several major hip-hop figures of the period.

• The video's wardrobe deliberately mixes high-glamour styling with streetwear. Contemporary coverage noted pieces from designers and boutiques alongside thrift-store clothing, Adidas, combat boots, leather, and denim.

• "Whatta Man" was recorded for En Vogue's 1993 EP "Runaway Love" and was also included on Salt-N-Pepa's album "Very Necessary."

• The track reworked the soul song "What a Man," originally recorded by Linda Lyndell in 1968. Salt-N-Pepa's version combines the original's refrain with newly written rap sections.

• The video helped turn the collaboration into one of 1994's major crossover hits. It won three MTV Video Music Awards: Best Dance Video, Best R&B Video, and Best Choreography.

• It also received the 1994 Music Video Production Award for Best Urban/R&B Video.

• The song's success contributed to "Very Necessary" becoming Salt-N-Pepa's best-selling album in the United States.