Salt-N-Pepa Seek New Chance To Reclaim Their Recordings

Salt-N-Pepa are fighting to overturn their loss to Universal Music Group, asking an appeals court to reopen their case over their master recordings.

Their lawyers argued before three judges Tuesday, September 22, seeking to undo the January ruling that dismissed their lawsuit.

Judge Denise Cote found that the duo’s 1986 deals did not show they had owned the recording copyrights or transferred them.

“It was only Azor and NITA that granted a transfer of rights in 1986 to Next Plateau Records,” she wrote in the lower court ruling.

The duo, Cheryl James and Sandra Denton, say the judge got the path of those rights wrong. They signed with producer Hurby Azor’s company, Noise in the Attic, which then dealt with Next Plateau. Their appeal argues they gave the company rights first and can now reclaim them under a law covering certain old music deals.

“The District Court granted UMG’s motion to dismiss finding that Salt-N-Pepa had not made a grant of copyright terminable under Section 203. This decision is riddled with error,” their appeal says. They also argue the contracts deserve a closer look if the judges find their wording unclear.

UMG says Azor’s company made the transfer, so Salt-N-Pepa have no grant of their own to take back.

As AllHipHop previously reported, the label also disputes whether the duo could reclaim certain remixes, including the hit version of “Push It.” A win on appeal would reopen the fight; it would not give the artists their recordings outright.

Those recordings include “Push It,” “Shoop,” “Whatta Man” and “Let’s Talk About Sex,” songs that helped secure the group’s place in Hip-Hop.

The duo’s filing says their catalog earned about $1 million in royalties during the five months before they sued. The roughly $1 million figure comes from the artists’ appeal, and the court has made no finding about the catalog’s value.

Salt-N-Pepa say UMG removed recordings from U.S. streaming services as the ownership fight grew. The court’s ruling confirms a takedown in 2024, while the duo alleges UMG used the missing music to pressure them.

The dispute followed them into their November 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, where they received the Musical Influence Award.

“We’re in a fight right now for our masters that rightfully belong to us,” James said onstage. “After 40 years, as we celebrate this moment, fans can’t even stream our music.”

After the January dismissal, UMG said it remained willing to resolve the dispute and work with the group. The three appeals judges ended Tuesday’s hearing without an immediate ruling, according to courtroom reporting.