In a new document filed in federal court on August 12, Drake and his legal team are seeking documents from UMG Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, also detailing months of discovery disputes with the massive music company.
According to the new court documents, first obtained by Music Business Worldwide, Drake’s legal team seeks “all contracts and agreements between [UMG] and Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, his agents, or anyone working on his behalf, including all contracts and agreements reflecting [UMG's] right to approve, reject, refuse to publish, edit, amend, alter, or veto the publication of Kendrick Lamar Duckworth’s Musical Works, Music Videos, or other content.”
In a previous letter to UMG’s legal counsel, Drake’s team stated that the company "produced a heavily redacted version of the Interscope Agreement with Kendrick Lamar… the extent of [UMG's] redactions — which cover the vast majority of the 22-page agreement — render the agreement unreadable and incomprehensible." They received that version of the contract in June.
Drake’s lawyers argued that what they received was "plainly improper," and are demanding an unredacted version of the document. The full details of Lamar's contract are necessary if Drake is going to have any case going forward. His lawyers allege that UMG had the editorial power to block the release of "Not Like Us" (and other songs) written into the deal, but chose not to flex that muscle.
Drake UMG Lawsuit
Demanding the details of Kendrick Lamar's contract is not where Drake's legal team stopped in the new 76-page document. They also requested any documents relating to domestic violence claims against Lamar.
Additionally, they want anything about Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free pertaining to Free's relationship with Lamar's children. Notably, Lamar has never been named as a defendant in this lawsuit.
While Drake continues to fight this battle in court, Kendrick Lamar recently wrapped up the European leg of his co-headlining Grand National Tour with SZA. SZA will depart the tour for its final stretch in Latin America and Australia. ScHoolboy Q and Doechii will serve as alternating openers for the latter dates.
