Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, who make up the legendary rap group Salt-N-Pepa, claim that Universal Music Group is playing dirty, having pulled their music from streaming platforms and other services that make their catalog accessible to audiences. A lawsuit against the conglomerate states that because Salt and Pep have dared to “assert their rights” by seeking the rights of their master recordings, UMG is “maliciously” punishing them, according to AP News.
Salt N’ Pepa came for their respect as female rappers when they entered the male-dominanted, Hip-Hop game back in 1985. Now, forty years later, the duo is going for theirs again. This time, they’re going up against the record label to regain copyrights to the music they’ve created for fans over the course of their career. The duo has filed a lawsuit under Section 203 of the Copyright Act of 1976, which allows creators to nix copyright after 35 years. Salt-N-Pepa made the request to terminate in 2022, at which time UMG declined, The Wrap reported. This action comes at a time where many artists are fighting for ownership of their intellectual property; particularly a few Aunties.
Anita Baker called out her record labels via tweet in 2021, stating “They no longer ‘own’” her “Name & Likeness.” Baker asked her fans and followers to not “advertise or buy them.” Subsequently, Chicago artist Chance The Rapper helped the “Sweet Love” songstress obtain her masters.
🎁Miraculously… i have out-lived *ALL, of my Artists Contracts🎈 They no longer “Own”, My Name & Likeness. And, by Law…30 yr old, Mstrs are 2B Returned, 2 Me🎼 Unfortunately, They’re gonna make me Fight 4 it. I’m Prepared, 2 do that. Please Dont advertise/buy them ABXO🎈💓 pic.twitter.com/PXe9xzsJK0
— Anita Baker (@IAMANITABAKER) March 9, 2021
Ashanti was in a public beef with the late producer Irv Gotti over masters to her early hits. The hitmaker refused the “Foolish” singer rights claiming, “That’s how I make my money.” Ashanti eventually gained control of her masters and revealed on The Tamron Hall Show that she would re-record her hits. Like the Aunties before them,
Salt-N-Pepa have a journey ahead of them but are prepared for the fight. In addition to suing for the relinquishing of the expired contracts, Salt-N-Pepa is seeking punitive damages and compensation for money loss due to UMG’s decision to dead their commercial access to their music.
According to legal documents, Salt-N-Pepa states, they “will not tolerate disrespect from UMG who has benefited greatly from Plaintiffs’ enormous and immeasurable contributions to the industry as artists, rappers, icons, and women—often in the face of immense odds and despite enormous industry pressure.”
The groundbreaking girl group will be entered into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nov. 8 and they continue to entertain audiences. They recently performed at the Room to Read gala, a fundraising event to benefit 62,000 children facing challenges in literacy inequality.
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