Drake has filed a federal defamation lawsuit over rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us.
The rapper, aged 38, took legal action against Universal Music Group for allegedly spreading false and harmful information suggesting that he is a pedophile, as per TMZ’s report on Wednesday.
Drake says in court documents that UMG knew Lamar’s diss track would include lyrics and images in a music video that referred to him as a pedophile.
He accuses UMG of allowing the ‘inflammatory and shocking allegations’ because the song was a ‘gold mine’ for the company.
According to the rapper, UMG deliberately promoted the song “Not Like Us” to diminish the value of Drake’s music and gain an advantage in upcoming contract talks.
According to the lawsuit, UMG paid a third party to use bots to increase the song’s streams by at least 30million.
Furthermore, the company is said to have been involved in a questionable arrangement with a radio promoter, trading payment for airplay, and falsely labeling the track as a chart-topping hit using deceptive information.
UMG has issued a statement repudiating Drake’s allegations, stating: ‘Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is illogical.’
Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit over rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us
Drake says in court documents that UMG knew Lamar’s diss track would include lyrics and images in a music video that referred to him as a pedophile
It comes as Kendrick is preparing to perform at the Super Bowl in New Orleans next month.
Drake mentions the performance in the lawsuit, claiming UMG was in on getting Kendrick the gig so the song could be platformed on ‘one of the most significant (and viewed) cultural events of the year.’
The lawsuit also makes a point of stating it is not against Kendrick himself.
‘This lawsuit is not about the artist who created Not Like Us,’ the suit states.
‘It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize’ a song that contained false claims.
Drake also said the song put him in danger, citing the multiple shootings near or at his Toronto mansion since it was released.
Not Like Us broke several chart records after spending 21 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot Rap songs chart, and enjoying 22 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart – where it reached number one twice.
It has hit over 914 millions plays on Spotify while it is tied for third place on the Rap Streaming Songs chart.
The rapper had already filed a lawsuit against UMG and Spotify in New York state court but he withdrew that to file a federal case instead.
After the state case was filed, UMG told DailyMail.com: ‘The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns.
The pair, who are arguably two of the world’s biggest hip-hop voices, have been embroiled in a furious rivalry for years (Lamar pictured in 2022)
Since things turned sour, both Kendrick Lamar (RIGHT) and Drake (LEFT) have continued to release numerous of back-and-forth diss tracks about each other
‘No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.’
In another statement provided to Variety, the record label stated: ‘Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is illogical.’
UMG insisted: ‘We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.’
The statement continued: ‘Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists.
‘He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.’
UMG concluded: ‘We have not and do not engage in defamation – against any individual. At the same time, we will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation, as well as any artist who might directly or indirectly become a frivolous litigation target for having done nothing more that write a song.’
Drake and Kendrick, arguably two of the world’s biggest hip-hop voices, have been embroiled in a furious rivalry for years.
Over a decade ago, the pair collaborated on a few songs, but that didn’t last very long. In 2013, Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick was featured on Big Sean’s Control, in which he called out a slew of contemporary rappers including Drake, J. Cole, Meek Mill, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T and even Big Sean among them.
Over the next few years, the rappers launched disses at each other with less frequency.
The feud entered new territory in May, 2024, when Kendrick, 36, made some serious accusations on Not Like Us, which was released shortly after he dropped Meet The Grahams – another diss track where the Compton native addresses Drake’s son: ‘I’m sorry that man is your father.’
Kendrick also addresses Drake’s parents, and ‘a baby girl,’ alleging that Drake has a secret daughter. He also labels Drake a ‘predator,’ without elaborating.
Just hours later, Kendrick doubled down, releasing Not Like Us, produced by DJ Mustard.
‘Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one,’ he raps.
