Drake sues Universal Music Group for encouraging defamation on Kendrick Lamar’s top-hit ‘Not Like Us’

Drake has ignited a battle against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, claiming defamation after Kendrick Lamar’s lewd accusations.

A silent participant in the house scene, Drake has filed a second petition against UMG for allegedly failing to prevent the release of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” He accuses the track of falsely accusing him of engaging in pedophilic behavior, among other criminal sexual acts. Furthermore, Drake has fired shots at Kendrick, claiming that the diss track amounts to defamation. While not a lawsuit, the “pre-action filing” seeks information to support his potential legal action against the label.

Drake’s legal team argues that UMG had a duty to intervene before the song’s release. Moreover, they contend that the track contains defamatory lyrics that could cause Drake serious reputational harm. The filing also touches on allegations that UMG was involved in a pay-to-play scheme with iHeartRadio to boost the song’s streams.

This move follows a previous filing in New York, where Drake accused UMG and Spotify of conspiring to artificially inflate the song’s streams. Specifically, Drake alleges they boosted airplay through the use of bots, undisclosed payments, and biased playlist placements. Universal Music Group has denied the allegations, citing airtight ethical standards in its marketing and promotional efforts.

Since its release amid his beef with Drake, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been a massive success. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped Lamar secure multiple Grammy nominations. Moreover, Lamar will be headlining the highly coveted Superbowl Halftime Show in 2025. In preparation for his big moment, he recently dropped a surprise album that has left fans buzzing.

Importantly, UMG does not directly represent either artist.  Drake manages his own label OVO, while Kendrick signed to pgLang. However, both musicians license their music to UMG’s for distribution and marketing.  There has ultimately been no stopping Drake’s comebacks thus far, so he definitely won’t go down without a fight.  Whether it’s an amicable resolution or a successful exposure of unfair marketing practices, this should get interesting.

Featured Image: Google/Rolling Stone

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Ginger Ale

Having grown up just an earshot from Ultra Miami’s venue Bayfront Park, it was next to impossible for me not to fall in love with electronic music. My love for music was evidently strong enough for me to write my college essay on festival culture and continue attending Ultra for 12 consecutive years (still counting). As an avid traveler, I’m definitely not afraid to hop on a plane for a music event. My current bucket list festivals right now are Tomorrowland in Belgium, Cercle Festival in France, Kappa Futur in Italy, and Sonus in Croatia. Though the list could go on forever, some of my favorite artists are Franky Wah, BICEP, Cassian, and Mochakk.

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