Salt-N-Pepa Sue Universal Music Group For $1 Million, Alleges Label Refuses To Acknowledge Expired Contracts & Blocks New Deals

Salt-N-Pepa

Salt-N-Pepa Sue Universal Music Group For $1 Million, Alleges Label Refuses To Acknowledge Expired Contracts & Blocks New Deals

Salt-N-Pepa have filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, alleging the label has failed to honor the termination of their decades-old contract.

In legal documents first reported on by TMZ, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Papa” Denton cite Section 203 of the American Copyright Act, which allows artists to reclaim rights to their recordings after a set period.

The lawsuit states that although their contract should have expired in 2002, UMG has “refused to cooperate” with the termination, thereby blocking the group from signing new licensing agreements and “impeding their right to promote and make money off the recordings themselves.”

Salt-N-Pepa are seeking at least $1 million in damages, a declaratory judgment, and a permanent injunction to prevent UMG from distributing their music without a proper license.

UMG has yet to respond, though the label is currently facing similar lawsuits from other artists including Drake and Limp Bizkit.

What are thoughts on this latest UMG suit?