Drake and UMG are in a strange situation. The rapper is still signed to the label, but he's also suing them for defamation. Unsurprisingly, Drake did not attend the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. Someone who did, though, was Kendrick Lamar. Dot won five Grammys for his Drake diss "Not Like Us," the basis of the UMG lawsuit. Now, fans think the label is propping up another star to step on the release date for Drake's next album. The star in question? Sabrina Carpenter.
Carpenter had a huge night at the Grammys. She took home two awards including Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance. She solidified her pop star status. Carpenter also announced plans for a deluxe version of her album Short 'n' Sweet. She took to social media the day after the Grammy Awards and told fans that she will be dropping a deluxe version as a thank you to all her fans. The release date? Valentine's Day, which is when Drake is slated to drop his PARTYNEXTDOOR collab album. Fans flocked to Sabrina Carpenter's comment section to suggest that the release date was a tactical decision.
Drake And Sabrina Carpenter Are Dropping The Same Day
There's no evidence to suggest that UMG aligned Sabrina Carpenter's new release date with Drake's. That said, it would make sense why the label would want Drake to flop. The rapper has taken the label to court and been a headache for them ever since the Kendrick Lamar battle ended. DJ Akademiks felt like the label gave Drake a pointed "f*ck you" message during the Grammys. Not only did Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter perform, and take home Grammys, but so did the Weeknd. An artist who the 6 God previously stood up for when he got zero Grammy nominations.
"If Drake didn't watch this sht and say, 'UMG just told me f*ck you and f*ck off,' he's delusional," the DJ stated. "And I know he's not delusional." He further posited that the success of UMG artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Lamar point to UMG's desire to move on from Drizzy. "Music will continue with or without your b*tch ass," Ak asserted, from UMG's point of view. "If you ask me." The battle for the number one Billboard spot between Drake and Carpenter's albums will undoubtedly drive this UMG theory further. We will see who comes out on top.
