Hip-hop’s female trailblazers Salt-N-Pepa have filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, accusing the label of unlawfully holding onto the rights to their music, including hits like “Push It” and “Let’s Talk About Sex,” despite their legal right to reclaim ownership.
In a May 19 filing in a New York federal court, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton allege that UMG is refusing to honor their termination notices, which were filed in 2022 under a provision in U.S. copyright law. The law allows artists to reclaim rights to their work 35 years after signing them away.
According to the lawsuit, UMG has responded by removing Salt-N-Pepa’s catalog from major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, which the group argues is retaliation for asserting their legal rights.
“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,” reads the complaint, as reported by the Associated Press.
Their attorneys added in a public statement: “As they prepare to make history as only the second female hip-hop act ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Salt-N-Pepa are also fighting to reclaim rightful ownership of their iconic, barrier-breaking music. UMG has pulled their songs from all major platforms in the U.S., punishing them for asserting those rights and silencing decades of culture-shifting work.”
Salt-N-Pepa argues that the label’s actions have frozen their ability to profit from their work. They seek the return of their master recordings, damages “well in excess of $1 million,” and a permanent injunction affirming their rights.
UMG has not responded to the lawsuit.
The group’s 1986 debut album Hot, Cool & Vicious marked a historic milestone, making Salt-N-Pepa the first female rap group to achieve both gold and platinum certification by the RIAA. Now, decades later, they’re on the brink of another groundbreaking moment, set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this November.
Speaking on their enduring legacy in a 2023 interview, Salt reflected on their relationship: “We’re with each other more than we are with our own families. So it’s important to give each other space. It’s like a marriage. Sometimes we sleep in the bed together, and sometimes Pep sleeps on the couch.”
As the case unfolds, Salt-N-Pepa are again standing at the intersection of music, culture, and the ongoing battle for artists’ rights.