Drake's legal battle with UMG and Spotify continues. The rapper turned heads when he withdrew the legal petition he filed in New York. Then, a day later, he filed a proper lawsuit against the companies with the intention of examining their streaming data. Drake believes UMG and Spotify colluded to boost the streaming numbers for Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" diss. The rapper filed a petition in Texas once he filed in New York. A lawsuit hasn't been filed in the Lone Star state. UMG has, however, taken steps to try and sweep the petition under the rug.
On Friday, UMG filed a motion to dismiss Drake's Texas petition. The motion was 144 pages, and sees the label deny any allegations of foul play. They deem Drake's legal actions to be "retaliatory," and ask that the petition be dismissed. UMG also requested a suspension of discovery and legal fees. Basically, they don't want to pay for Drake's accusations. The documents accuse the Toronto superstar of using "strategic legal retaliation against UMG and others." They also pointed to an "apparent effort to limit the distribution of 'Not Like Us.'"
Drake Is Currently Suing UMG For Defamation
The motion was filed mere days before the scheduled hearing date. The hearing between UMG and the rapper's legal team is scheduled for January 28 in Bexar County, Texas. It's worth noting that Drake is a resident of Texas as of August 2024. The rapper shared a photo of his new ID on Instagram. The rapper was clowned for doing his duck face in the photo, but the point stood. Drake is a Texas resident, and he has been praising the Lone Star State in his music his entire career. One of his breakout songs is called 'Houstatlantavegas."
It's also worth noting that Drake is currently suing UMG. There's no love lost between these two entities. UMG was recently granted a 34 to respond to the rapper's defamation lawsuit. The extension was given due to the wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles. "We request this extension," said UMG lawyer Nicholas Crowley. "Because wildfires in Los Angeles have greatly impacted [the] defendant's executive and legal teams." The case is slated to resume on March 17.
