Latest news with #Cheryl'Salt'James
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Salt-N-Pepa Sue UMG to Regain Masters, Allege Label 'Punished' Them by Pulling Songs from Streaming
The post Salt-N-Pepa Sue UMG to Regain Masters, Allege Label 'Punished' Them by Pulling Songs from Streaming appeared first on Consequence. Trailblazing hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) on Monday, alleging the label is violating copyright law by refusing to turn over the rights to their master recordings and has retaliated by pulling their early music from streaming services. As reported by Billboard, Cheryl 'Salt' James and Sandra 'Pepa' Denton filed the lawsuit in New York federal court. They claim UMG has 'refused to honor' their 'termination rights' under Section 203 of the Copyright Act, which allows artists to reclaim ownership of their recordings 35 years after a song's initial release. Salt-N-Pepa's first three albums are currently unavailable on Spotify and Apple Music, while re-recordings are the only way to hear their breakout hit, 'Push It.' Popular Posts Trump Warns Springsteen: "He Ought to Keep His Mouth Shut Until He's Back Into the Country" New Reality TV Show That Sees immigrants Compete for US Citizenship Has Backing of Trump Administration: Report Holy Shit, You Have to See Footage from System of a Down's Concert in Brazil Bruce Springsteen Gives Trump the Middle Finger with Another Defiant Concert Guns N' Roses Share Video of Axl Rose Repeatedly Falling Onstage: Watch Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal Tackles Autism — Thanks to a Consequence Article Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Salt-N-Pepa suing record label over rights to catalogue
Salt-N-Pepa are suing Universal Music Group (UMG) over rights to their master recordings. On Monday, lawyers acting for the hip-hop group, comprised of Cheryl 'Salt' James and Sandra 'Pepa' Denton, filed a lawsuit in a court in New York. According to the complaint, obtained by The Associated Press, Salt-N-Pepa allege executives at UMG have violated copyright law by refusing to give them back the rights to their master recordings, citing a law in which artists can seek to terminate decades-old agreements. James and Denton claim they filed to end a contract under the Copyright Act of 1976 back in 2022 but "UMG has refused to honour" their request. "UMG has indicated that it will hold Plaintiffs' rights hostage even if it means tanking the value of Plaintiffs' music catalogue and depriving their fans of access to their work," the lawsuit reads. Salt-N-Pepa allege they should now own the rights to recordings on their 1986 debut album Hot, Cool & Vicious as well as to the 1987 hit Push It. In addition, they believe the rights to the 1993 album Very Necessary, which includes the singles Shoop and Whatta Man, should be returned to them this year or in 2026. They are seeking damages from UMG that could "well exceed $1 million (£750,000)". Elsewhere, reps for Salt-N-Pepa alleged the removal of the group's music from streaming platforms was a "stunning act of retaliation". "(They're) punishing them for asserting those rights and silencing decades of culture-shifting work," a spokesperson told Rolling Stone. "Like many artists, they're challenging a system that profits from their work while denying them control. This fight is about more than contracts - it's about legacy, justice, and the future of artist ownership." Representatives for UMG have not yet commented on the lawsuit. Later this year, Salt-N-Pepa will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the musical influence category.
