Salt-N-Pepa Allege Universal Music Group is Preventing Their Music from Streaming Amid Legal Dispute

Considered the First Ladies of Rap, Salt-N-Pepa gained such a title thanks to hit songs like “Push It”, “Shoop”, and “I’ll Take Your Man.” While the duo hasn’t released any new albums since 1997 with Brand New, Salt-N-Pepa continues to hold a special place in the history of hip-hop. Looking past their discography, the singers became one of the first female rap groups to win a Grammy Award. Carving a path for future generations, both Cheryl James and Sandra Denton found themselves at the center of a legal battle with Universal Music Group over not allowing them the rights to their famous songs. 

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Speaking with Good Morning America about their ongoing legal dispute with UMG, the singers claimed that the company removed some of their classic hits from streaming platforms. The entire ordeal started when James suggested they wanted the master rights to their early music. “When you’re an artist, in the beginning, you sign a contract saying that the copyrights will revert back to you after 35 years. And we’ve done all the things legally to get our copyrights back. But they’re just refusing, so we had to sue them.”

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, artists are allowed to use their “termination rights” after a certain period of time. James noted that the time period was 35 years. Although knowing the law, she added, “We didn’t have that leverage. We didn’t have that knowledge. We didn’t have that control in the ’80s. And so, to be held to a contract from 1985, and 40 years later, it’s, like, ridiculous.” 

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For Denton, she was somewhat shocked by how the situation was handled by the UMG. Especially given the laws put in place were meant to protect artists. “It’s the law. That’s what it really boils down to. It’s the law.”

Still, with Denton understanding the impact Salt-N-Pepa had on hip hop, she insisted, “Obviously, it’s something. They wanna keep it. They wanna hold onto it. And they’re tryin’ to fight us. So, obviously, they understand what’s the worth of that.”

Outside of their fight with UMG, both Denton and James celebrated a historic milestone in their careers. In November, the duo will receive the Musical Influence Award at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. 

Excited about the special moment, Denton saw it as a celebration of their entire journey. “It’s an amazing feeling, because … it’s for your music, not just one hit. It’s about your journey, your legacy, what you have done, you know, the influence that you had … 40 years and we’re still here.”

(Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Room to Read)