Drake has taken his battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) to the next level by filing a defamation lawsuit accusing the label of spreading a “false and malicious narrative” about him.
The legal dispute centers around Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” which Drake alleges contains defamatory claims, including accusations of pedophilia.
The Lawsuit
Filed on Wednesday in federal court in New York City, Drake’s lawsuit asserts that UMG knowingly released and promoted “Not Like Us,” despite its harmful and untrue allegations.
According to the filing, the label’s actions have caused significant damage to Drake’s reputation and career.
This development comes just a day after Drake dropped his initial lawsuit against UMG.
On Tuesday, Drake withdrew a petition that accused the label of engaging in an illegal scheme to boost the streaming numbers of “Not Like Us” using bots and payola.
👉🏾 Related: Drake Takes Legal Action Over Alleged UMG & Spotify Scheme To Boost Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Background
The controversy began in March 2024 when Kendrick Lamar’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s track “Like That” reignited tensions between the two artists.
The feud escalated with a series of diss tracks, culminating in Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which became a massive hit.
Drake alleges that UMG’s unethical practices, including reduced licensing rates and bot-driven streaming boosts, played a significant role in the track’s success.
In December, Spotify filed opposition papers denying any involvement in the alleged scheme.
A Spotify spokesperson stated, “We have no economic incentive to favor ‘Not Like Us’ over any of Drake’s tracks,” emphasizing transparency in their promotional practices.
UMG’s Response
UMG has denied all accusations.
In a statement shared with Variety, the label said, “The suggestion that UMG would undermine its own artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing.”
What’s happening with Drake is historic in the world of Hip Hop. Never before have we seen someone engage in a rap battle, take an L, and then get litigious.
Bless his heart.
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