Salt-N-Pepa Take Universal Music Group to Court Over Hit Songs as Label Removes Music from Streaming

Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandra "Pepa" Denton filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) in New York federal court on May 19. They want their master recordings back under US copyright rules.

After the pair tried to claim ownership of their music, UMG yanked their songs off streaming platforms. Now, James and Denton are seeking money damages that might "well exceed $1 million," according to The New York Post.

"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," states the court filing.

In 2022, the duo tried to end their deal using the Copyright Act of 1976. This law lets musicians take back their work 35 years after signing away the rights. UMG said no and instead pulled hits like "Push It," "Shoop," and "Let's Talk About Sex" off US streaming sites.

The company argues that these songs were "works made for hire," which would block rights from returning to the artists. But Salt-N-Pepa's legal team points out that their contract with UMG shows otherwise.

"This fight is about more than contracts — it's about legacy, justice, and the future of artist ownership," the duo's attorneys explained.

The lawsuit aims to win back control of their music from their 1986 debut album Hot, Cool & Vicious through 1993's Very Necessary. Their top song, "Push It," has topped 210 million plays on Spotify alone.

This legal battle comes as the duo prepares to join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November. They'll be just the second female hip-hop group to receive this recognition.

UMG, on the other hand, states in their written exchanges that James and Denton weren't parties to the 1986 contract for their early albums. Still, the company says it hopes to find a mutually acceptable resolution through talks.