Salt-N-Pepa Double Down: “Time to Fight for Our Rights” in Copyright Clash with Universal

Salt-N-Pepa are, taking on Universal Music Group in a battle over copyright ownership that could reshape how legacy artists control their music. Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton launched their lawsuit earlier this year, accusing Universal of unlawfully blocking their attempts to exercise termination rights, provisions in U.S. copyright law that allow artists to reclaim their work 35 years after handing it over in early contracts. Salt-N-Pepa say they followed every legal step, yet Universal refused their claim.

The label’s defence is that the group’s early records were made as “works for hire” under producer Hurby Azor, meaning the copyrights never belonged to the duo in the first place.

Salt-N-Pepa reject that narrative outright. “The record companies have been getting away with this for a lot of years and it’s time for us to fight for our rights,” Salt said recently. Pepa added, “It’s the law, it’s meant to protect the artist.”

The case is now poised to test the very intent of the legislation: whether it exists to balance the scales after decades of artist-label inequality, or whether labels can sidestep it through contractual fine print.

The fight comes at a moment when Salt-N-Pepa’s influence is being celebrated more than ever. Formed in Queens, New York in 1985, the group, originally a trio with DJ Spinderella, changed the face of hip hop. Their breakthrough came with 1986’s Hot, Cool & Vicious, featuring the smash hit “Push It.” That single became a global phenomenon, climbing into the Top 20 in both the U.S. and the U.K., and making Salt-N-Pepa one of the first female rap groups to achieve mainstream chart success.

They followed with 1988’s A Salt with a Deadly Pepa, 1990’s Blacks’ Magic, which spawned the hits “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Expression”, and their 1993 blockbuster Very Necessary. That album sold over seven million copies worldwide, powered by “Shoop” and “Whatta Man,” their collaboration with En Vogue. At a time when hip hop was dominated by male voices, Salt-N-Pepa proved women could headline stadium tours, command MTV airplay, and build a global fanbase.

Their music carried messages of empowerment, sex positivity, and independence, paving the way for future generations of female rappers. The group went on hiatus in 2002 but reunited for tours, television appearances, and the 2021 Salt-N-Pepa biopic film produced for Lifetime. Along the way, they collected a Grammy Award, multiple platinum albums, and induction into the world’s collective memory as pioneers of their craft.

The irony of their current legal dispute is that the very songs that built their legacy are now caught in limbo. Some Salt-N-Pepa classics have disappeared from streaming platforms, frustrating fans who can no longer access music they grew up with. Pepa has voiced her anger: “Our fans don’t get to hear it, and they’re complaining: where’s the music?”

For the group, ownership is not just about royalties but also about their legacy. Without control, they can’t re-release their albums or decide how their catalogue is presented to new audiences. With the law supposedly on their side, they see Universal’s refusal as both a legal roadblock and a cultural insult.

For Salt-N-Pepa, victory would mean regaining rights to their earliest recordings and reintroducing them on their own terms. For Universal, the stakes are larger: a ruling in the duo’s favour could inspire a wave of termination claims from other legacy artists, potentially redrawing the balance of power in the industry. The “work for hire” argument is Universal’s firewall. If it stands, termination rights could be severely weakened for other acts with similar contracts.

Beyond the courtroom, Salt-N-Pepa are making sure the public understands what’s at stake. Their interviews and media appearances have framed the dispute as part of a broader artist-rights movement. By going public, they’ve kept pressure on Universal and rallied fans behind their cause.

It’s a fight they’ve been preparing for their whole careers. Just as they once broke barriers for women in hip hop, Salt-N-Pepa now find themselves fighting for all artists who signed away their rights too early. Their message is clear: the music belongs to the people who created it.

The case continues through the U.S. courts, with no set resolution in sight. A settlement remains possible, but if Salt-N-Pepa’s determination is anything to go by, they are ready to take this to the finish line.

Four decades after telling the world to “Push It,” Salt-N-Pepa are still pushing—this time against the biggest music company in the world. And just like in 1986, they are doing it their way.

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Tagged as: 90s, pop, rap, Salt N Pepa, USA