Salt-N-Pepa’s UMG Legal Battle: Ex-Producer Claims Ownership of Iconic Tracks

Salt-N-Pepa’s iconic tracks that inspired countless fans to dance in the 1980s and 1990s have ignited a significant legal battle that may alter how artists retrieve their artistic ownership. Cheryl "Salt" James and Sandra "Pepa" Denton are encountering challenges in reclaiming rights to timeless hits such as “Push It,” “Shake Your Thang,” and “Shoop,” as Universal Music Group asserts that the legendary duo never possessed their music rights. UMG maintains that their producer, Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, retained ownership originally. The dispute revolves around the artists' attempt to assert “termination rights,” a provision allowing creators to reclaim ownership 35 years post-release. Following their termination notice to UMG in May, the label responded with a motion to dismiss, claiming the original contract indicated Azor, not the duo, owned the rights. As UMG prepares a secondary defense regarding remix tracks, the case now awaits a federal judge's decision on ownership implications.

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