The legal battle over one of the most iconic catalogs in hip-hop history reached a turning point this week, and it wasn’t the outcome Salt-N-Pepa were hoping for.
On Thursday, a federal judge in New York dismissed the duo’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), effectively blocking their attempt to take back control of their master recordings. The “Push It” hitmakers had initially sued the label for violating the Copyright Act, claiming they were being prevented from reclaiming their work and alleging that UMG retaliated by yanking their music from streaming platforms.
However, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote wasn’t moved by the argument, ruling that the duo never actually held the rights they were trying to terminate. According to the court’s decision, the original contracts from the mid-80s didn’t show that the artists ever owned the copyrights to the sound recordings.
Judge Cote noted, “Even viewed in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, the 1986 agreements do not indicate that Plaintiffs ever owned the copyrights to the sound recordings or that they granted a transfer of those rights to anyone else.”
Essentially, the law only allows creators to terminate a transfer of rights that they personally executed, and the judge found that Salt-N-Pepa didn’t meet that criteria.
UMG was quick to celebrate the win, labeling the legal action “baseless” and claiming they had already tried to settle the matter behind the scenes. In a statement following the ruling, the label said, “While we are gratified that the court dismissed this baseless lawsuit, it should never have been brought in the first place.
Despite the harsh words, UMG left the door open for a truce, stating they “remain open and willing to find a resolution” to ensure the group’s legacy continues to reach fans.
Don’t expect Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton to go quiet, though. The legendary pairing has already pushed back against the ruling, making it clear that they aren’t giving up on their masters just yet. “We remain committed to vindicating and reclaiming our rights as creators under the Copyright Act,” the duo stated.
While this round goes to the label, it sounds like the fight for artist ownership is far from finished.
