I still can’t believe this dude is suing his record label for taking a loss in a battle.
In November 2024, Drake initiated legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging that the company artificially inflated streams of Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" through bots and payola schemes, thereby damaging his reputation.
Drake further accused UMG of defamation for promoting a song that labeled him a "certified pedophile," claiming it led to real-world harm, including a shooting incident at his residence and safety concerns for his family.
In response, UMG filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, characterizing it as a "misguided attempt" by Drake to recover from losing a rap battle he had provoked. UMG's legal team argued that diss tracks are a recognized artistic genre known for exaggerated insults and that Lamar's lyrics were nonactionable opinions rather than factual statements. They also highlighted Drake's history of engaging in similar disputes and his previous stance against using rap lyrics as evidence in legal cases, suggesting irony in his current defamation claims.
Drake's attorney, Michael J. Gottlieb, criticized UMG's motion as a tactic to avoid accountability for profiting from harmful misinformation and endangering artists. He maintained the validity of the lawsuit, accusing UMG of exploiting the situation for corporate gain.
As of March 2025, the court has yet to rule on UMG's motion to dismiss, leaving the outcome of Drake's lawsuit pending.
Share this post