(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on January 15, 2025 shows Rapper Drake sitting on Centre Court before US player Serena Williams plays against Italy’s Camila Giorgi during their women’s singles quarter-final match on the eighth day of the 2018 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 10, 2018. and recording artist Kendrick Lamar arriving at the MTV Video Music Awards 2017, in Inglewood, California, on August 27, 2017. Drake on January 15, 2025, filed suit against his own label, saying that Universal Music Group’s release and promotion of a Kendrick Lamar track dissing him amounted to defamation and harassment. UMG represents both Drake and Lamar, two rappers who last year exchanged a litany of increasingly vitriolic diss tracks. (Photo by Daniel LEAL and TOMMASO BODDI / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
New York — Superstar rapper Drake has filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing the label of defamation and endangering his safety by promoting Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track Not Like Us.
In a filing seen by AFP on Wednesday, Drake claims UMG prioritized profits over his well-being by releasing and marketing Lamar’s Grammy-nominated track, which contains lyrics accusing the Canadian artist of pedophilia. According to Drake, these false allegations have subjected him to harassment, physical threats, and damage to his reputation.
The legal battle stems from a feud between the two hip-hop heavyweights, who have exchanged pointed diss tracks over the past year. Lamar’s Not Like Us became a chart-topping sensation, with scathing punchlines aimed at Drake. However, the 38-year-old artist, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, claims the track crossed a line, prompting this legal action.
“This lawsuit is not about the artist who created Not Like Us,” the court documents state. “It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false but dangerous.”
Drake, who has been signed with UMG for over a decade, alleges that the label’s promotional campaign included the use of his actual house on the album artwork and music video, escalating threats to his personal safety.
The lawsuit links UMG’s actions to a series of alarming incidents, including a May 2024 pre-dawn shooting at Drake’s Toronto estate, where a security guard was injured. Additionally, the filing references several attempted break-ins following the song’s release.
“These events were not coincidental,” the suit claims, suggesting that the label’s actions directly endangered Drake’s life and property.
Drake contends that UMG’s decision to promote Not Like Us was part of a larger scheme to diminish his bargaining power as his record deal nears expiration.
The suit alleges UMG sought to devalue his brand, capitalizing on Lamar’s short-term contract extension and the track’s viral success. Despite the legal action, Not Like Us has garnered significant acclaim, earning five Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
UMG has yet to comment on the latest lawsuit. However, in response to pre-litigation actions filed by Drake last year, the label called the claims “offensive and untrue.”
“We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns,” UMG said in a statement at the time.
Kendrick Lamar, 37, continues to thrive, with Not Like Us dominating charts and his role as the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.
Drake, meanwhile, remains one of the highest-grossing rappers in the industry, and his lawsuit marks a significant challenge to his decade-long partnership with UMG.
The legal battle raises broader questions about the responsibilities of record labels in navigating conflicts between their artists. As Drake and UMG prepare for a court showdown, the stakes for both reputations and industry practices are higher than ever.
Stay tuned for updates as the case unfolds.
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