Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing them of fuelling Kendrick Lamar’s controversial diss track Not Like Us. The lawsuit claims UMG “approved, published, and promoted” the song, despite knowing its accusations were false and potentially harmful.
The track, which dropped last year during Drake and Lamar’s highly publicised feud, accused Drake of being a “certified pedophile.” Its artwork featured Drake’s home marked with symbols resembling a registry map for sex offenders. Shortly after the track’s release, a shooting outside Drake’s property injured a security guard, with the lawsuit likening the incident to “the 2024 equivalent of Pizzagate.”
“This isn’t about the artist who created Not Like Us,” Drake’s filing states. “It’s about UMG monetizing allegations they knew were dangerous.”
The feud between the two rap titans escalated throughout 2024, with Not Like Us topping charts and setting streaming records. Drake’s lawsuit alleges UMG manipulated streaming services and airwaves, claiming they paid influencers, radio stations, and even Apple’s Siri to push Lamar’s track.
UMG has since dismissed the claims, calling them “illogical” and “offensive.” In a statement, the company emphasised its long-standing support for Drake, saying, “We’ve invested massively in his music. The notion that we’d harm his reputation is absurd.”
Drake’s legal team is led by Michael J. Gottlieb, known for representing high-profile defamation cases. The suit follows earlier legal filings where Drake accused UMG of artificially inflating Not Like Us’s popularity using bots and unfair promotional tactics.
The fallout from the feud has affected both artists’ output. However, Lamar has emerged as the perceived winner, while Drake has released limited solo material following the track’s release. His latest freestyle, Fighting Irish, revisits the feud and addresses the “coloniser” accusations made in Not Like Us.
“I was sadly mistaken, the loyalty wasn’t a given,” Drake raps, reflecting on personal betrayals during the feud.
Both artists are signed to UMG, with Drake under Republic Records and Lamar through Interscope. The lawsuit has raised interesting questions about a label’s role in managing rivalries while protecting its own artists. For now, the battle between two of rap’s biggest names has shifted from the studio to the courtroom. It’s safe to say the drama has just begun.
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