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Tami Cupples-Hernandez

The year was 1989. I was 12 years old.

My father was passing by the open doorway to my bedroom, and heard music from my boombox – the sounds of the “Hot, Cool & Vicious” album by Salt-N-Pepa. I already knew every word.

He stopped. “Turn that off! Did I just hear cussing?” he alleged.

And with that, my favorite cassette tape was confiscated.

The album was clean (especially compared to today’s standards) and did not even receive a parental warning label. I pleaded my case and lost.

But do you know what happens when a young person is told they can’t do something? I’ll bet you do. Sandy “Pepa” Denton and Cheryl “Salt” James were elevated to Coolest Ever in my pre-teen mind.

This “good girl” from a three-stoplight town surrounded by agriculture was ready for edgy.

By 1992, a nine-foot tall poster of the duo greeted everyone who entered my room. The Showstoppers, pictured in white jackets and 15-pound gold rope chains, joined the hundreds of “Bop” and “Teen Beat” cutouts of the boys from New Kids on the Block that had started to peel paint off the walls.

And I found and stole back the cassette.

Sandra Denton, left, and Cheryl James, of Salt-N-Pepa, arrive at the world premiere of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” on Monday, July 12, 2021, at Regal L.A. Live in Los Angeles. (Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

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On Friday night at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, moments before show time of the MixTape Tour, I took an excited breath and prepared to go back to that time.

Just for a couple of hours — and 34 years later — I was done with my rebellion. I was ready to feel young and carefree, far from adult relationships, homeownership, finances and parenting.

I was not alone. Blockheads and music fans gathered in force to fill the arena and “Bring Back the Time” (the name of the latest New Kids song, which features tour-mates En Vogue, Salt-N-Pepa and Rick Astley).

Joe McIntyre, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood definitely know their demographic. Their show gave us old hits, newer tunes, cover songs, confetti and streamers, barstool seats at the edge of the T-shaped stage (genius!), a second stage near the back of the arena, and their well-loved crowd interaction.

I was thrilled to seemingly check an item off my concert bucket list by seeing the first ladies of rap. Alas, Salt was the only spice on the menu, as Pepa was absent due to injury.

No matter. I nominated myself the co-star of those performances, vowing to be heard from 20 rows up.

New Kids on the Block returned to the Valley Friday night, their first visit since 1989. (Courtesy: Bert Ogden Arena)

The boy band from Boston came out swinging, hitting us with “Block Party” and rolling on to “Dirty Dancing,” “Summertime” and “Cover Girl.”

At one point, the five guys of NKOTB intentionally stopped and let the crowd roar.

Then, Donnie mused about Rio Grande Valley fans’ continued enthusiasm.

He was referencing the group’s first concert here, when a crowd of 11,000 waited hours in the heat to see them perform on July 3, 1989, at Catholic War Veteran’s Park in Mission. That show ended abruptly during the first song following a human stampede, and at least 100 attendees were treated for injuries and dehydration. It would be 20 years before New Kids would perform here again.

“You guys treated us like we were the Beatles,” Donnie said. The audience’s screams lifted again. We still were, he added.

The Mixtape Tour has no pauses for costume changes — or catching our own breath — as supporting acts En Vogue, Salt and Astley (who Rickrolled us twice, which was excellent) popped in and out, and kept us dancing and singing along.

“It’s fun going down memory lane,” Donnie told us, “but it’s gonna be even more fun growing old together.”