A federal judge has dismissed pioneering hip-hop duo Salt‑N‑Pepa’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which sought to reclaim control of the group’s early master recordings, Rolling Stone reports.
The lawsuit, filed in May 2025, claimed UMG had violated the Copyright Act by refusing to recognize the group’s attempt to use federal “termination rights” to take back copyrights to their master recordings from contracts dating back more than 35 years. Salt-N-Pepa members Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton argued the label’s actions included removing their music from streaming services in retaliation for their legal efforts.
On Jan. 8, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in the Southern District of New York dismissed the complaint, agreeing with UMG’s argument that the duo never owned the copyrights needed to invoke the termination provisions of federal law and therefore lacked a valid claim. In her decision, Cote wrote that “none of the contracts identified by Plaintiffs indicate that Plaintiffs ever owned the Master Tapes.”
Representatives for Salt-N-Pepa said they disagree with the judge’s ruling and “fully intend to pursue our rights on appeal,” adding that they are “committed to vindicating and reclaiming our rights as creators under the Copyright Act.”
UMG’s lawyers had moved to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that Salt-N-Pepa’s agreements with their early label Next Plateau Records did not give the artists the ownership interests they claimed. The label argued the recordings were “works made for hire,” meaning the company held the copyrights from the outset and could not be compelled to relinquish them through termination rights.
In a statement, a UMG spokesperson said the company was “gratified that the court dismissed this baseless lawsuit” and noted that it had previously tried to reach an amicable resolution. The label, though, remains “open and willing to find a resolution to the matter and turn the page so we can focus our efforts on working together to amplify Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy for generations to come.”
Salt-N-Pepa formed in 1985 and released hits, including “Push It” and “Shoop,” while signed to Next Plateau Records, which later came under UMG’s ownership. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and has received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
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