A federal judge has thrown out the high-profile lawsuit filed by hip-hop pioneers Salt-N-Pepa against Universal Music Group, ending their bid to regain ownership of their master recordings from the label.

Judge Rules Artists Can’t Reclaim Masters They Never Owned

Salt (“Cheryl James”) and Pepa (“Sandra Denton”) filed the lawsuit in May 2025, arguing that they should be able to take back control of their classic catalog under Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act, a law that lets artists terminate copyright transfers 35 years after they’re signed.

But on January 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote dismissed the case, concluding that Salt-N-Pepa never actually owned the copyrights to begin with—a legal requirement for termination rights to apply.

The ruling finds that the group’s early contracts—specifically their 1986 recording agreement—were signed by Noise in the Attic (NITA) Productions, a company controlled by producer Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, which licensed the recordings to Next Plateau Records (eventually becoming part of the UMG catalog). Because Salt and Pepa were not parties to the initial copyright transfer, Judge Cote said, they cannot legally reclaim those rights.

“Plaintiffs can only terminate copyright transfers that they executed,” the court wrote, noting that there is no evidence Salt-N-Pepa themselves ever transferred copyrights they held.

UMG Welcomes the Ruling, Says Talks Continued

In a statement after the ruling, Universal Music Group called the lawsuit “baseless,” saying it had tried to resolve the dispute amicably before litigation and had offered to improve the artists’ compensation. UMG also said it remains open to working with Salt-N-Pepa to honor their legacy despite the dismissal.

The duo has not publicly commented on the decision yet. However, Salt-N-Pepa still have the right to appeal if they choose.

Background: A Longstanding Copyright Battle

Salt-N-Pepa’s fight began after they filed notices in 2022 to terminate certain copyright grants under the 1976 Copyright Act, which was designed to give artists a “second chance” at ownership decades later.

Their lawsuit also claimed that UMG pulled their music from streaming platforms in retaliation, making it harder for the duo to benefit financially from their catalog—a charge the label has denied.

What This Means

• Salt-N-Pepa’s master recordings remain under UMG ownership.

• The lawsuit’s dismissal highlights how contract terms from early in an artist’s career can have decades-long consequences.

• The duo may still pursue an appeal, keeping the legal saga alive.