Salt-N-Pepa Slams Universal Music at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction--'Fans Can't Even Stream Our Music'

The female hip-hop trio of Cheryl 'Salt' James, Sandra 'Pepa' Denton and Deirdra Roper aka DJ Spinderella, more popularly known as Salt-N-Pepa, have been inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The group rapped and danced to their 1987 breakthrough hit 'Push It,' clad in multi-coloured leather jackets, to receive this year's Musical Influence Award during their Rock Hall induction.

The group also gave a rousing speech about their legal battle to reclaim their master recordings.

The Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group

While Denton and Roper thanked their families, friends and fans, James talked about their ongoing fight to get their master recordings back from their former record label during her speech.

'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,' James said.

It was in May that they filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) to regain control of their master recordings. The pair of James and Denton filed the case, citing a clause in the US Copyright Act which allows artists who have transferred their copyright to another party to reclaim it after 35 years.

They filed termination notices to UMG in 2022 to end the label's ownership of their early recordings, which the label claims to be invalid because those songs were 'works made for hire.'

Two years after the notices were filed, the group's first two albums, 'Hot, Cool & Vicious' and 'A Salt With a Deadly Pepa' were removed from streaming platforms.

The duo claimed losing 'substantial royalties' due to the removal.

'This is the Influence Award. We have to keep using our influence until the industry honors creativity the way the audience does with: love, respect and fairness, and that includes streaming platforms too,' James insisted during her speech.

Female Rapper Hall of Famers

Their award was presented by fellow female hip-hop legend Missy Elliott, who was the first female rapper to be nominated and inducted to the Rock Hall in 2023.

'The reason that you even know Missy Elliott's name is because of Salt, Pepa, and Spinderella,' Elliott said.

'When you see your favorite rapper, understand that if they're on top, there's a foundation that they're standing on. These three women are the bricklayers to the foundation that holds hip-hop together,' she added.

Before their acceptance speeches, the group brought the audience to their feet by performing a medley of their hits, opening with a line from 'My Mic Sounds Nice' then transitioned to 'Shoop.'

DJ Spinderella, who became the first female DJ to enter the Rock Hall, had her moment to scratch before En Vogue joined them on stage to sing 'Whatta Man.' Their original producer Hurby 'Luv Bug' Azor joined them for their closer.

The Group's History

James and Denton got together as a duo in 1985, before Roper joined them two years after.

They have received plenty of accolades throughout their illustrious career including the first female rap act to earn a gold and platinum album status with their debut 'Hot, Cool, & Vicious' selling a million copies.

They also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.