NEW YORK – In a recent legal development, a federal judge has ruled against the iconic hip-hop ensemble Salt-N-Pepa in their attempt to regain control over their master recordings from Universal Music Group.
Judge Denise Cote of the U.S. District Court ruled in favor of Universal, stating that the celebrated group never actually possessed the copyrights to their sound recordings nor transferred them elsewhere.
“The plaintiffs can only terminate copyright transfers that they have executed themselves,” Judge Cote clarified. “The contracts highlighted by the plaintiffs do not demonstrate any ownership of the Master Tapes by them.”
Universal Music Group maintained that the recordings were created as “works made for hire,” a classification which precludes the recovery of rights. However, Salt-N-Pepa’s legal claim contended that their contracts clearly stated otherwise.
Despite the court’s decision, UMG expressed a willingness to seek a resolution, stating, “We are open to resolving this matter and wish to shift our focus towards celebrating and enhancing Salt-N-Pepa’s enduring legacy for future generations.”
Salt-N-Pepa’s representatives have yet to issue a comment regarding the court’s decision.
The Queens, New York, duo of Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton became Salt-N-Pepa in 1985. They were later joined by DJ Spinderella, who was not part of the early agreements under dispute and is not involved in the lawsuit.
Salt-N-Pepa signed with Next Plateau Records and released their debut album “Hot, Cool & Vicious” in 1986. Next Plateau was an independent label at the time, and it’s now under the banner of Universal’s Republic label. Some of the group’s hits include 1993’s “Shoop” and 1987’s “Push It”
In 1995 they became the first female rap group to win a Grammy, and in 2021, they received a Grammy lifetime achievement award. In November, they followed Missy Elliott as the second female hip-hop act in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, handed the Influence Award.
At the podium during the induction ceremony, James noted the group’s legal fight: “This is the Influence Award. We have to keep using our influence until the industry honors creativity the way the audience does — with love, respect and fairness.”
In their lawsuit, Salt-N-Pepa claimed that the 1976 Copyright Act gives artists the right to reclaim ownership of master recordings and terminate past agreements after 35 years.
But the judge sided with UMG’s argument that there is no evidence that James and Denton granted the label copyright that they can now reclaim.
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