Drake has filed a new lawsuit against Universal Music Group for allegedly spreading the "false and malicious narrative" that he is a pedophile. As caught by TMZ, the lawsuit cites Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," claiming the song contains "inflammatory and shocking allegations" that were a "gold mine" for UMG, regardless of whether they were true. The filing suggests the move was done to help devalue Drake's brand for future contract negotiations.
Specifically, Drake alleges that UMG paid a third party to use bots to increase the song's streams by at least 30 million and also spoke with at least one radio promoter about engaging in a "pay for play" scheme. Drake's lawsuit also warns about the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show, in which Kendrick Lamar will certainly perform "Not Like Us." He labels the show "one of the most significant (and viewed) cultural events of the year." Similar to his prior petitions against UMG, Drake isn't targeting Kendrick Lamar. "This lawsuit is not about the artist who created 'Not Like Us.' It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize," the lawsuit reads.
Drake Performs In Atlanta
The defamation lawsuit comes less than a day after Drake made headlines for withdrawing his petition against Spotify and Universal Music Group, which had accused both of them of launching an illegal “scheme” to promote "Not Like Us." Drake reportedly met with Spotify to discuss the case on Tuesday. While fans initially clowned Drake on social media for the move, TMZ now reports that it was done to clear the way for this new federal case.
Kendrick Lamar dropped "Not Like Us" as one of several diss tracks aimed at Drake amid their fiery feud in 2024. On the song, he raps, "Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles," in reference to the Toronto rapper. It dominated the charts after release and is currently up for several awards at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, including for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
[Via]
