Salt-N-Pepa to appeal dismissal of copyright lawsuit against Universal Music
The hip hop duo said they “respectfully disagree with the court’s decision” amid their bid to regain rights over their physical master recordings
Salt-N-Pepa are planning to appeal a court’s decision to dismiss their lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which accused the organisation of holding a copyright grant from the duo since the ‘80s.
According to Music Business Worldwide, the New York hip hop duo filed a lawsuit in May 2025 against the music giant, seeking to regain their copyrights and physical master recordings.
The complaint argued that the duo, made up of Cheryl ‘Salt’ James and Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton, are “eager to retake full ownership of their art and legacy” after the original grant that has stopped them from regaining copyright ownership lapsed in 2022.
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It also claimed that UMG has held the copyright grant since 1986, and “refused to honour” Salt-N-Pepa’s notices of termination using “self-interested” and “heavy-handed tactics”.
UMG then filed a motion to get the case dismissed, arguing that recordings were never owned by the duo in the first place, meaning that they cannot “reclaim” them.
A New York District Judge, Denise Cote, agreed with UMG’s argument, referencing a 1986 agreement between Salt-N-Pepa and Noise In The Attic Productions Inc. (NITA), which stated that NITA would become the “sole and exclusive owner” of all music rights.
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According to pop news journalist Loren Lorosa, Salt-N-Pepa are planning to appeal the decision, writing in a statement: “We respectfully disagree with the court's decision and fully intend to pursue our rights on appeal.”
“We, Cheryl James and Sandra Denton, also known as the Hip Hop icons Salt-N-Pepa, are the creative and driving force behind all our sound recordings and have performed these songs over the past 40 years,” they continued.
Salt-N-Pepa have scored many accolades throughout their decade-spanning careers, becoming the first-ever female rap group to win a GRAMMY, and the second to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
[Via: Music Business Worldwide]
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