Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, the founding members of Salt-N-Pepa, filed a copyright lawsuit against UMG on Monday (May 19) per the Associated Press, claiming their former label is illegally refusing to turn over their master recordings.⁠ ⁠ The lawsuit invokes the Copyright Act of 1976, a law which mandates that after 35 years artists can reclaim the rights to their work and renegotiate licenses. This empowers artists whose work may grow significantly in value after its release, and Salt-N-Pepa's team argue that the law was passed specifically for artists like them.⁠ ⁠ Even though Salt-N-Pepa filed to end the contract and reclaim ownership as the law allows, “Inexplicably, UMG has refused to honor” their request, according to filings viewed by the AP. Salt-N-Pepa would be entitled to music including their 1986 debut LP Hot, Cool & Vicious and 1987's smash "Push It," with the rights to their quadruple platinum 1993 album Very Necessary coming later.⁠ ⁠ Read everything we...