Salt-N-Pepa are accusing music-group/”>UMG of intentionally blocking entry to their unique grasp recordings and pulling their music from main U.S. streaming platforms in what they are saying is a calculated try and sabotage their upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

The Hip-Hop trailblazers filed a lawsuit claiming UMG has refused to return the bodily two-inch grasp tapes that comprise the highest-quality variations of their albums and singles.

The tapes, that are saved in a safe facility, stay in UMG’s possession regardless of a number of formal requests, based on the grievance.

“Plaintiffs’ Master Tapes hold significant value and are incredibly rare. They are the original, highest quality, physical source material of Plaintiffs’ sound recordings,” the lawsuit states.

The authorized battle comes as Salt-N-Pepa put together to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on November 8, 2025, on the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will stream stay on Disney+, marking a big milestone of their decades-long profession.

The group alleges the battle intensified after they tried to reclaim their copyrights underneath Section 203 of the Copyright Act.

In response, UMG allegedly started eradicating their music from digital platforms within the United States, stripping them of streaming income and public publicity.

The grievance claims UMG “halted exploitation of the relevant sound recordings in the United States, thereby effectively demonetizing Plaintiffs’ catalogue—months before Plaintiffs are set to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

Salt-N-Pepa believe the label’s actions are a pressure tactic to pressure them to desert their authorized pursuit of possession rights.

“UMG appears to take the position that it can unilaterally decide when and/or if a recording artist is entitled to termination. This is not the law, and UMG does not have this power,” mentioned their lawyer Heidi G. Crikelair. “This is an effort by UMG to pressure Plaintiffs into giving up on their effort to recoup their rights to their sound recordings.”

Despite the authorized standoff, Salt-N-Pepa say they don’t have any plans to retreat.

The lawsuit additionally notes that the removing of their catalog has erased entry to iconic tracks like “Push It,” which the group says is “ubiquitous at weddings and other celebrations.”

The timing of the takedown, they argue, threatens to decrease their visibility and cultural impression simply as they obtain one of many trade’s highest honors.

Salt-N-Pepa are looking for damages and the instant return of their grasp recordings, accusing UMG of conversion and violating federal copyright legislation.

The duo, together with Spinderella, made historical past as the primary feminine rap group to go platinum within the U.S. and are solely the second feminine Hip-Hop act to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

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