Salt-N-Pepa misplaced a serious authorized combat in opposition to Universal music Group in New York this week after a federal decide dismissed their lawsuit over possession of their basic recordings.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote dominated the Hip-Hop duo did not show they ever owned the grasp recordings they tried to reclaim underneath copyright termination legal guidelines. The court docket discovered that Cheryl James and Sandra Denton, higher often called Salt-N-Pepa, by no means held the rights to start with as a result of phrases of their authentic 1986 agreements.

Salt-N-Pepa alleged that UMG retaliated in opposition to their efforts to regain management of their catalog by pulling hits like “Push It” and “Shoop” from streaming platforms comparable to Spotify and Apple music.

The pair filed swimsuit in May 2025, citing federal legislation that enables artists to reclaim rights to their work after 35 years.

UMG rejected their termination notices, music/”>arguing that the duo lacked authorized standing since they’d by no means transferred possession of the copyrights within the first place.

Judge Cote agreed, writing that copyright termination rights only apply to authors who originally granted those rights away. Because Salt-N-Pepa never held the copyrights, the court ruled they had no authority to reclaim them.

Despite the ruling, Salt-N-Pepa made it clear they’re not backing down. In an announcement posted to social media, the trailblazing group thanked their supporters and promised to maintain pushing ahead.

“For over 40 years, you’ve been right there with us, from the first time you heard us on the radio to every show, every video, every moment,” they wrote. “We thank you for the love and support you’ve always given us. It means everything.”

“We started as two girls from Queens, NY, with a dream. That dream became our reality because of YOU. God blessed us with the most loyal fans in the world, and there would be NO Salt-N-Pepa without you.”

They added, “For the last few years, we’ve been fighting to regain ownership of the music we created. The songs we performed and poured our hearts into for 40 years. Yesterday, we received a setback in the process, but we believe that justice will prevail in the end.”

“The music and culture we built together changed lives. The legacy we created as women who refused to be silenced. We’re still here. We’re still Salt-N-Pepa. And we’re not done fighting. Not just for us, but for every artist who deserves to own what they create. We are Salt-N-Pepa, and nothing changes that!”

UMG, for its half, referred to as the lawsuit “baseless” and stated it had made repeated efforts to resolve the dispute privately.

The firm said that it had no authorized obligation to renegotiate, however nonetheless tried to enhance Salt-N-Pepa’s compensation and preserve entry to their music.

The label continues to carry the rights to a catalog that has generated tens of millions in income over the a long time.

UMG stated it stays “open and willing to find a resolution” and needs to “amplify Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy for future generations.”

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