Drake – Source: Prince Williams/Wireimage/Joseph Okpako/WireImage / Prince Williams/Wireimage/Joseph Okpako/WireImage
After withdrawing a petition in New York Drake officially filed a federal defamation lawsuit against UMG for promoting “Not Like Us.”
Not even 24 hours after Drake removed his petition against Universal Music Group and Spotify it seems the drama isn’t over. According to TMZ, Drake isn’t backing down and filed a federal defamation case in New York against UMG. The Canadian rapper strongly believes and alleges UMG spearheaded the “false and malicious narrative” that he is a pedophile.
“UMG’s greed yielded real world consequences. As described above, it was just three days after UMG originally published the Recording and Image that Drake was targeted at his Toronto house by armed intruders in the 2024 equivalent of “Pizzagate.” The online response was similarly violent and hateful. An avalanche of online hate speech has branded Drake as a sex offender and pedophile, among other epithets.” section 15 of the lawsuit reads
The lawsuit also reveals Drake and UMG are set to renegotiate his contract this year and alleged the label promoted Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” to stifle Drake’s leverage.
“The contract between UMG and Drake is up for renegotiation in 2025. By the Spring of 2024, UMG understood that the rise of streaming platforms had “enhanced the bargaining power of artists. Established artists whose contracts are coming up for renewal are in an improved position to demand higher take rates due to the improvement in the visibility of cash flows and risk reduction.”48 And as described below, on information and belief, UMG was incentivized to act, and in fact did act, in a manner to reduce that bargaining leverage in advance of upcoming negotiations with Drake over contract renewal.” the lawsuit reads.
Perhaps the most eye-opening part of the lawsuit alleges UMG wanted the world to hear Mr. Graham “like’em young” out of all the bars in the song. Drizzy is reportedly set to launch a new album in the coming weeks and it’ll be interesting to see how it’s received and more so promoted.
Also, Super Bowl LIX is a month away, and all eyes will be on Kendrick Lamar to see if “Not Like Us” makes it on the setlist.
You can read the full lawsuit filing from Drake’s legal team by clicking here.
