Salt-N-Pepa’s Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group Over Ownership Of Masters Dismissed By Federal Judge – Blavity
Salt-N-Pepa’s fight to regain ownership of their master recordings has come to an unsuccessful end.
According to People, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote dismissed the rap group’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group on Thursday in the Southern District of New York, ruling that Salt-N-Pepa — comprised of Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton before later being joined by DJ Spinderella — failed to establish ownership of the copyrights and master recordings.
Variety reported that in 2022, James and Denton filed termination notices to end Universal Music Group’s control over their early recordings, which include songs like “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Let’s Talk About Sex,” per People. Universal Music Group claimed those notices were invalid because their songs were “works made for hire,” and Salt-N-Pepa had no rights to them.
Here’s what to know about the group’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group and its court loss.
The court found that James and Denton never owned their master recordings
In their lawsuit, James and Denton cited the Copyright Act of 1976, which offers some artists the opportunity to reclaim their copyright after 35 years. However, Cote noted in her dismissal that the rappers granted ownership of their masters to their first label, Noise in the Attic Productions, and the contract for the recordings was between the label and Next Plateau Records, which is owned by Hurby “Luv Bug” Azur.
“None of the contracts identified by Plaintiffs indicate that they ever owned the Master Tapes,” Cote’s dismissal reads. The judge further argued that “the statutory text in § 203 is clear: Plaintiffs can only terminate copyright transfers that they executed. They cannot terminate a copyright grant executed by NITA. As a result, Plaintiffs do not plausibly allege a claim for declaratory relief.”
The judge added, “Even viewed in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, the 1986 agreements do not indicate that Plaintiffs ever owned the copyrights to the sound recordings or that they granted a transfer of those rights to anyone else.”
According to federal law, termination rights are only offered to authors who executed the original grant, with Cote ruling that “plaintiffs can only terminate copyright transfers that they executed.”
Following Cote’s dismissal, Universal Music Group shared a statement with several outlets in response to the court’s decision.
“While we are gratified that the court dismissed this baseless lawsuit, it should never have been brought in the first place. Prior to this suit—and without any legal obligation to do so—we made multiple attempts to resolve the matter amicably, improve the artists’ compensation, and ensure that Salt-N-Pepa’s fans had access to their music. Even with the court’s complete rejection of their claims, we remain open and willing to find a resolution to the matter and turn the page so we can focus our efforts on working together to amplify Salt-N-Pepa’s legacy for generations to come,” the statement read.
Salt-N-Pepa accused Universal Music Group of retaliating by removing their music from streaming platforms
Salt-N-Pepa filed their lawsuit against Universal Music Group in May, in which they accused the label of refusing to uphold their legal right to reclaim ownership of their master recordings under the U.S. Copyright Act. They claimed in the lawsuit that, after filing their termination notices in 2022, Universal Music Group retaliated by removing the group’s songs from major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music, as they continued to claim ownership over the master recordings.
The group claimed Universal Music Group’s actions stopped them from profiting from their work and lowered the value of their discography. They accused the label of “conversion,” or wrongfully exercising control over their property. They sought declaratory relief, damages, and a permanent injunction to stop Universal Music Group’s authority over their music.
During their induction speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony, the group condemned “the industry” and called out Universal Music Group for removing their music from streaming platforms, Variety reported.
“As we celebrate this moment, fans can’t even stream our music. It’s been taken down from all streaming platforms because the industry still doesn’t want to play fair,” James said, adding, “Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight. This is the Influence Award. We have to keep using our influence until the industry honors creativity the way the audience does — with love, respect and fairness — and that includes streaming platforms too.”
The post Salt-N-Pepa’s Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group Over Ownership Of Masters Dismissed By Federal Judge appeared first on Blavity.
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