May 20, 2025
The hip hop duo believe they are eligible to own their own music due to the Copyright Act of 1976.
Salt-N-Pepa wants their master recordings back, taking things to court against Universal Music Group.
The hip-hop duo has officially sued the record label, claiming that UMG is violating copyright law by refusing to return their master recordings. The law in question is the Copyright Act of 1976, which dictates that artists can terminate previous contracts after several decades to regain ownership of their music.
The music under this distinction includes Salt-N-Pepa’s top hits like 1993’s “Shoop” and 1987’s “Push It.” Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton officially filed the lawsuit in federal court in New York on May 19. The women asserted that they were “eager” to take full ownership of the music, even filing to terminate their contract in 2022, which made them household names, but UMG “refused” to let them do so for reasons unknown.
“UMG has indicated that it will hold Plaintiffs’ rights hostage even if it means tanking the value of Plaintiffs’ music catalogue and depriving their fans of access to their work,” detailed the suit as reported by AP News.
According to their interpretation of the copyright law, James and Denton can own their early recordings from their 1986 debut album. The law establishes rights for artists who signed predatory record deals, allowing them to regain ownership of their own art.
The issue has also led to the removal of Salt-N-Pepa’s music from streaming. Their legal team called the stripping of their songs from commercial use “malicious” and calculated over their legal battle.
UMG, on the other hand, deemed the recordings “works made for hire,” which would evade any violation of copyright law. They also insisted that James and Denton were not parties in the agreement that covered their album, further asserting that they have no evidence to confirm that their matter aligns with the copyright claims.
However, the lawsuit also emphasized Salt-N-Pepa’s impact on music and rap music. The duo became the first female rap group to win a Grammy in 1995, and will soon be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame later this year.
“Salt-N-Pepa boldly changed the look of rap and hip-hop,” added the lawsuit. “They were not afraid to talk about sex and to share their thoughts about men. Their sound recordings ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ and ‘None of Your Business,’ for example, were huge hits. They talked candidly about women’s sexuality and empowerment when such topics were frowned upon, heavily criticized, and called taboo.”
However, UMG’s lawyers also stated in the letters used as evidence in the lawsuit that they want to reach a “mutually acceptable resolution” and are open to mediation.
Despite this, the hip-hop legends also seek damages for the lost money. The suit claimed the compensation could “well exceed $1 million.” Their lawyers also want a permanent injunction to establish them as the rightful owners of the music.
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