UMG Disputes Salt-N-Pepa’s Bid to Reclaim Master Rights

Universal Music Group has filed a formal challenge against Salt-N-Pepa’s attempt to reclaim their masters, arguing the duo’s termination notice lacks a legal foundation. The dispute centers on Section 203 of the Copyright Act, which allows artists to claw back rights after 35 years—a provision UMG claims Cheryl 'Salt' James and Sandra 'Pepa' Denton have failed to navigate correctly within the constraints of their original contracts. This legal friction highlights the growing tension between heritage acts and major labels as the first generation of hip-hop icons reaches the eligibility window for ownership recovery. For Salt-N-Pepa, whose 1980s and 90s catalog remains a cornerstone of the genre’s commercial crossover, the outcome of this appeal will likely set a precedent for how 'work-for-hire' clauses are interpreted in the modern era. The case now moves to the Second Circuit, where the court will determine if the duo’s legendary catalog stays in the corporate vault or returns to the women who built it.