Copyright Newsweek
Salt-N-Pepa were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday night, with Missy Elliott leading the tribute to the trailblazing rap duo. During their acceptance speech, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton publicly addressed their ongoing legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) over ownership of their master recordings—a fight that began in May. The duo filed a federal lawsuit earlier this year, alleging UMG violated the Copyright Act by refusing to relinquish rights to their catalog more than 35 years after its release. Why It Matters The speech marked a rare moment where artists used the Hall of Fame stage to spotlight industry disputes, highlighting the broader push for legacy acts to reclaim control of their intellectual property. Salt-N-Pepa’s remarks added urgency to a legal fight that touches on artist compensation, streaming access, and cultural preservation—especially for women in hip-hop whose contributions have historically been undervalued. What To Know Salt-N-Pepa filed notices of copyright termination in 2022, targeting albums released between 1986 and 1993. The lawsuit, made public in May, claims UMG’s Next Plateau and London Records have refused to honor those notices, prompting the artists to seek judicial intervention. In a 2022 letter cited in the lawsuit, UMG asserted its ownership of the sound recordings is not subject to termination. The label warned the duo against exploiting the works and maintains it holds exclusive rights. Salt-N-Pepa’s legal team accused UMG of retaliating by removing the group’s music from streaming platforms, calling it a “stunning act of retaliation” that silences decades of culture-shifting work. A UMG spokesperson told Rolling Stone the company made repeated efforts to resolve the matter, including offers of mediation and direct compensation—even after the artists sold their royalty streams to a third party. The duo is seeking damages that could exceed $1 million and a permanent injunction affirming their rights to the disputed recordings. They say they’re open to a “mutually acceptable resolution.” In a pointed speech on Saturday, Salt described the duo’s ongoing legal battle with UMG over control of their master recordings, saying, “We’re in a fight right now for our masters, that rightfully belong to us, after 40 years.” She noted that fans currently “can’t even stream our music” due to its removal from platforms, prompting boos from the audience—boos Salt welcomed. “Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight,” she said. “This is the Influence Award; we have to keep using our influence till the industry honors creativity the way the audience does—with love, respect, and fairness. And that includes streaming platforms, too. Hip-hop gave us a voice and we’ll keep using it.” The timing of the speech—delivered during their Rock Hall induction—spotlights the intersection of legacy and ownership. DJ Spinderella, also honored, noted she’s the first female DJ inducted into the Hall. What People Are Saying Salt in her part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony speech: “I dedicate this award to every artist who ever had to learn that ownership is the real freedom. When we came up, the industry was different: we didn’t have streaming, we didn’t have social media. We had cassette tapes, turntables, and dreams. But even back then, we had to fight to be heard and to prove our worth. We’re in a fight right now for our masters, that rightfully belong to us, after 40 years. 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. “Salt-N-Pepa have never been afraid of a fight. This is the Influence Award; we have to keep using our influence ’til the industry honors creativity the way the audience does—with love, respect, and fairness. And that includes streaming platforms, too. Hip-hop gave us a voice and we’ll keep using it.” Spinderella in her portion of her speech on Saturday: “I’ve been DJing for 40 years — and I’m the first female DJ to be inducted into Rock Hall.” What Happens Next The lawsuit is pending in federal court. If successful, Salt-N-Pepa’s challenge could set a precedent for legacy artists seeking to reclaim their master recordings under the Copyright Act.
