"Failed to prove ownership of their sound recording copyrights, let alone any transfer to others": Salt-N-Pepa lose dispute over master rights with Universal.] - Guitar | Technique

Bad news for hip hop pioneers Salt-N’-Pepa – a New York judge has thrown out their lawsuit against Universal Music that sought to gain control over their master recordings.

The dispute dates back to 2022, when the duo, best known for a string of hits in the late ’80s and early ’90s, told Universal that they wanted to reclaim the copyrights on the three albums they released between 1986 and 1990. Universal said no and Salt-N-Pepa sued the label last May.

Universal then played hardball and withdrew those albums – which include most of the group’s most famous hits, including Push It, Do You Want Me and Let’s Talk About Sex, from streaming services, an action that the duo claimed was “retaliation”.

Salt ‘N’ Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex (MTV Europe 1991) HQ Sound – YouTube

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There is a provision of US law that does allows artists to terminate copyright transfer agreements and reclaim their rights after decades in some circumstances. But, on this occasion, the US District Judge Denise Cote said that the duo did not “establish that they ever owned the copyrights to their sound recordings, let alone transferred them to anyone else.”

The group’s first recording contract in 1986 was with the production company Noise in the Attic Productions Inc and this stated explicitly that the company “shall be the sole and exclusive owner of any and all rights” to master recordings, an agreement that passed over to UMG once they signed the duo.

Neither Cheryl ‘Salt’ James or Sandra ‘Pepa’ Denton has commented on the ruling, though a UMG spokesperson has said: “While we are gratified that the court dismissed this baseless lawsuit, it should never have been brought in the first place.

“Prior to this suit – and without any legal obligation to do so – we made multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, improve the artists’ compensation, and ensure that Salt-N-Pepa’s fans had access to their music.”

“Even with the court’s complete rejection of their claims, we remain open and willing to find a resolution to the matter and turn the page so we can focus our efforts on working together to amplify Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy for generations to come.”