Judge Rules Salt‑N‑Pepa Never Owned Early Master Recordings

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that the hip‑hop group Salt‑N‑Pepa cannot regain the copyrights to the master recordings of its earliest music, including the 1980s hit “Push It,” because it never owned that intellectual property.

In a lawsuit filed in May, Cheryl James and Sandra Denton — the members of Salt‑N‑Pepa — cited the Copyright Act of 1976, which allows artists to terminate grants of copyright 35 years after they were made. Universal Music Group argued the recordings were “works made for hire” and therefore not subject to reclamation; Judge Denise Cote agreed in an 18‑page dismissal, writing that “none of the contracts identified by plaintiffs indicate that they ever owned the master tapes.” The suit says the group signed contracts with Universal subsidiaries in 1986 and 1992 and served notices of termination in 2022.

Universal said it had offered to enter mediation and, through a spokesman, added: “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.” Representatives for Salt‑N‑Pepa did not respond to a request for comment. The group, which won a Grammy for the 1993 song “None of Your Business,” was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year.

Key Topics

Culture, Salt N Pepa, Universal Music Group, Denise Cote, Copyright Act, Push It