unexpectedly, Drake took legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging they slandered him by promoting Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us,” which accused him of being a secret pedophile under the title “Certified Lover Boy.
The lawsuit was submitted to the court in Manhattan following The Boy’s withdrawal of his legal action against the record label and Spotify. It accuses Universal Music Group (UMG) of prioritizing corporate profits over the welfare of its artists, as they released “Not Like Us” despite knowing that the song’s inflammatory and offensive allegations were untrue. The suit further claims that UMG intentionally aimed to make Drake an outcast, a target for harassment or even harm, not because they believed the false accusations to be valid, but rather to benefit financially from damaging Drake’s reputation.
Drake’s legal team asserts that the song “Not Like Us” incited real-world violence against him by encouraging others to physically harm him. They liken this situation to the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory which led to a real-life shooting, due to false claims of pedophilia. Drake even alleged that the diss track caused a drive-by shooting at his Toronto home and increased his exposure to online harassment. In their statement, they expressed concern for Drake’s safety, as well as the safety of his family, friends, and themselves.
In the lawsuit, OVO’s leadership argued that Universal Music Group (UMG) exploited a dispute to tarnish Drake’s reputation and strengthen their position in future contract negotiations. As Drake’s existing deal was nearly complete, UMG allegedly threatened to devalue his music and brand in order to compel him to sign a fresh agreement with more advantageous terms for UMG. Additionally, the suit alleged that UMG manipulated its industry connections to secure Kendrick Lamar’s headlining performance at Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.
In Summer and Fall of 2024, it’s said that Drake’s lawyers sent multiple legal letters concerning a track they deemed “misleading and damaging.” Additionally, Drake himself allegedly confronted Universal Music Group (UMG) about the potential dangers of releasing the diss track, as it threatened his safety. However, UMG reportedly refused to take any action to help Drake and instead offered him advice on protecting his reputation.
After several weeks of delay, UMG decided against offering assistance to Drake, even going so far as to reject mediation with him. The lawsuit further claims that UMG maintained they held no responsibility for the harm inflicted upon Drake. In a surprising move, if Drake were to sue UMG, they threatened to counter-sue Kendrick Lamar and implied that Drake would face public mockery for being perceived as suing another rapper.
As a dedicated fan, I continued to stand firm in my allegations against UMG and Spotify, repeating my claims from my earlier legal petition. In that petition, I accused them of colluding to artificially boost the popularity of my song using bots, payola, and lower licensing fees for Spotify. Moreover, it was alleged that UMG “whitelisted” the song on YouTube, allowing it to bypass copyright filters and extend its influence even further.
The lawsuit makes it clear that Dot is not being sued, as this case is not focused on a dispute between artists. Instead, it centers around Universal Music Group’s actions following Drake’s notification about the “false and defamatory” content in the track’s lyrics. His lawyers wrote that this lawsuit contains no accusations against Kendrick Lamar or any other artist. Rather, it is a matter concerning Universal Music Group… and their deliberate choice to release and promote, through hidden methods, false claims about Drake, which they knew were untrue, highly inflammatory, and likely to stir up intense backlash and cause significant damage to Drake’s reputation.
UMG disputes Drake’s allegations, stating that they are irrational. They have invested significantly in him as one of their artists and clarified that they do not participate in defaming anyone. Instead, they strongly defend this lawsuit to safeguard their team, reputation, and any artist who might be wrongly targeted for simply composing a song.
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2025-01-16 06:26