Drake Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

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As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “I, Drake, have taken action by filing a defamation lawsuit against my record label, Universal Music Group – the company that also manages Kendrick Lamar. It seems we’re both in the same digital game world now, and this is one move I’ve made to protect my reputation.

As a devoted fan, I’m sharing that, according to The New York Times, Drake took legal action in federal court on Wednesday. He claimed that the release of Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which apparently targets him, exemplifies prioritizing “corporate greed over the artists’ safety and well-being.

Rapper Drake is contracted with Republic Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG), whereas Kendrick Lamar is under Interscope Records, another UMG label. The recent lawsuit alleges that UMG knowingly produced, distributed, and promoted a rap song that falsely portrayed Drake as a criminal pedophile, inciting the public to take vigilante action against him.

Drake’s most recent outfit arrived about two months subsequent to him asserting that UMG and Spotify artificially increased the streams of “Not Like Us.” However, it was disclosed on Tuesday evening that he has withdrawn the lawsuit in this particular matter.

According to the NYT, the lawsuit in question doesn’t concern the artist behind ‘Not Like Us.’ Instead, it focuses solely on Universal Music Group (UMG), the music company accused of publishing, promoting, exploiting, and monetizing claims they knew were both false and harmful.

Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was one of the most popular songs in 2024, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks and staying at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart for 20 weeks. The song has earned five Grammy nominations, including nods for Song and Record of the Year, and it’s more than just a diss track – it’s become an international symbol of culture.

In May, following renewed tension between the two rappers in March, Kendrick Lamar put out a catchy West Coast hit called “Not Like Us,” which was produced by DJ Mustard. This track took aim at Drake, labeling him as exploiting Black culture and making accusations of pedophilia. The energetic song broke streaming records and many declared Lamar the victor of their feud due to its success. Their disagreement can be traced back to 2013, when Kendrick Lamar, who had previously collaborated with Drake and opened for him on tour, fired shots at 11 fellow artists through his guest verse on Big Sean’s “Control.

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2025-01-15 18:54