Salt-N-Pepa have filed an appeal at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to revive their copyright lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The duo argues that a federal judge erred in dismissing their claims over termination rights to their master recordings. Attorney Richard Busch called the lower court's decision 'riddled with error.'
Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, known as Salt-N-Pepa, submitted the appeal brief on March 31. They originally sued UMG last year after the label refused to honor their termination rights under copyright law, which allow artists to reclaim ownership of recordings decades later. A New York federal judge dismissed the case in January, ruling that the duo did not directly sign their 1986 deal with Next Plateau Records. Instead, the contract involved Noise in the Attic Productions, controlled by producer Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, which was later acquired through a chain leading to UMG. The appeal contends that Salt-N-Pepa originated the copyrights and initiated the chain of grants via their agreement with Azor. Busch wrote that the 1986 agreements mean the copyrights transferred from Salt-N-Pepa to Noise in the Attic, then Next Plateau, London Records, and finally UMG. Section 203 terminations should bind successors, reverting rights to the duo, according to the brief. The filing highlights the catalog's value, noting about $1 million in royalties in the five months before the lawsuit, with UMG receiving the lion’s share. Busch told Billboard, “This is a very important case for all recording artists... we believe the district court got it wrong. We look forward to being heard by the Second Circuit.” UMG has not commented and must respond in May. Termination rights have sparked disputes, including 2 Live Crew cases and 2024 settlements with UMG and Sony.