Salt-N-Pepa Claim UMG’s Holding Their Copyrights Hostage In Latest Headache For Label
Salt-N-Pepa launched a legal battle against UMG on Monday (May 19) in New York federal court, accusing the music giant of refusing to return control of their classic recordings and deliberately pulling their songs from streaming platforms in retaliation.
The Hip-Hop trailblazers—Cheryl James and Sandra Denton—filed suit asserting that UMG Recordings has ignored their 2022 Notices of Termination under Section 203 of the Copyright Act.
That law allows artists to reclaim ownership of their work after a specific period, and Salt-N-Pepa say they followed the rules.
Instead of complying, UMG allegedly yanked their music from streaming services and blocked licensing opportunities, moves the duo claims were meant to punish them and devalue their catalog.
Salt-N-Pepa are asking the court for declaratory and injunctive relief to regain control of their masters, along with damages for what they describe as UMG’s bad-faith conduct and conversion of their property.
The group, which exploded onto the scene in 1985 with “The Showstopper,” became one of the most influential acts in Hip-Hop history.
They were the first female rap group to win a Grammy and have sold over 15 million albums in the U.S. Their music has racked up over 1 billion streams globally and remains a staple in film, television and advertising.
UMG has held the rights to Salt-N-Pepa’s master recordings since 1986. The lawsuit claims the label is now violating federal copyright law by refusing to honor the termination notices and cutting off access to the music entirely in the U.S. market.
This legal clash adds to a growing list of high-profile disputes UMG has faced in 2025.
In January, Drake filed a defamation suit against the label, alleging it profited from Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track “Not Like Us,” which he claims contained false and damaging statements. Limp Bizkit followed with a $200 million lawsuit accusing UMG of hiding royalties using deceptive software. Meanwhile, Iggy Azalea has publicly threatened legal action over what she says are millions in unpaid royalties, rejecting a reported $18,000 settlement offer.
Salt-N-Pepa’s case is pending in the Southern District of New York.