A judge has ruled in favor of Drake’s request to access Kendrick Lamar’s recording contracts and Universal Music Group’s executive compensation data as part of his ongoing defamation lawsuit. Drake alleges that Lamar’s song, “Not Like Us,” which contained accusations of pedophilia, is defamatory and that Universal knowingly promoted the false claims. Universal had sought to halt the discovery process and dismiss the case, arguing the request was overly burdensome, but the judge rejected this motion. A hearing on Universal’s motion to dismiss the case is scheduled for June 30th.
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Universal Music Group (UMG) filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit, arguing his claims stem from his perceived loss in a publicized rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. UMG contends Drake’s suit is a misguided attempt to recover from the highly publicized feud, characterizing the diss tracks as typical hyperbolic insults within the genre. The label denies Drake’s allegations of defamation and claims his lawsuit lacks merit. UMG further highlights Drake’s past criticism of using artistic expression against artists in legal cases, emphasizing the hypocrisy of his current action.
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Drake is suing Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment stemming from Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us,” which falsely accused Drake of being a pedophile. The lawsuit alleges UMG prioritized profit over artist safety, citing the song’s defamatory lyrics and artwork depicting Drake’s home marked like a registered sex offender’s residence, potentially inciting a shooting at his property. This action follows the withdrawal of a separate lawsuit against UMG and Spotify alleging stream manipulation of “Not Like Us.” UMG has yet to respond to the defamation claims.
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Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, filed petitions in New York and Texas alleging that Universal Music Group (UMG) employed deceptive practices to artificially inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” a diss track targeting Drake. The petitions claim UMG used bots, paid for radio play (payola), and manipulated Spotify’s algorithms to boost the song’s streams, all while charging below-market licensing rates. These actions, Drake alleges, caused him significant financial harm and violated the RICO Act. UMG denies the allegations, stating their marketing practices are ethical and that fan preference drives music popularity.
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John Q. Hosedrinker