Salt-N-Pepa Claim UMG Pulled Them from Streaming Services in Retaliation for Trying to Reclaim Rights to Their Hits: Lawsuit

Salt-N-Pepa are about to make history as the first female hip-hop duo inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in nearly two decades, but instead of celebrating, they are locked in an ugly legal battle with their longtime label.

The iconic duo, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, filed a lawsuit in New York federal court this week accusing Universal Music Group of refusing to honor their legal right to take back ownership of their master recordings under the U. S. Copyright Act.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, the group sent notice to UMG in 2022 that they were reclaiming control of their hits like “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Let’s Talk About 𝒔𝒆𝒙” after 35 years. The label reportedly rejected that notice—and then allegedly retaliated by yanking those very songs from all major U. S.

streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music.

The lawsuit claims that UMG’s move has essentially frozen the duo’s ability to profit from their own work, while also diminishing the catalog’s value. It accuses the label of “conversion,” meaning they are wrongfully exercising control over property that no longer belongs to them.

“As they prepare to make history, Salt-N-Pepa are also fighting to reclaim rightful ownership of their iconic, barrier-breaking music,” their legal team said in a statement. “UMG has pulled their songs from all major platforms in the U. S.

, punishing them for asserting those rights and silencing decades of culture-shifting work.”

The duo’s influence is undeniable. “Push It” alone has been streamed more than 210 million times on Spotify. Their November induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will make them only the second female hip-hop act ever to receive the honor—a milestone they say underscores the urgency of securing control over their legacy.

But UMG has fired back. A spokesperson told PEOPLE that the label has repeatedly tried to resolve the issue amicably, including offers to mediate, and claims Salt-N-Pepa’s legal team is using the threat of negative press to force unreasonable demands. They said the group’s royalty streams had already been sold to a third party.

This isn’t just about contracts, they say. This is about who really owns the soundtrack of a generation. So, what happens when the music stops streaming?