UPDATE: UMG has released a statement to deny the claims.
“Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist—let alone Drake—is illogical,” it begins. “We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”
The statement says that the artist has “intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists” throughout his career, and that he now
“seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.”
“We have not and do not engage in defamation—against any individual,” it continues. “At the same time, we will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation, as well as any artist who might directly or indirectly become a frivolous litigation target for having done nothing more than write a song.”
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Drake has filed a federal defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
In the lawsuit, Drake accuses UMG of promoting a “false and malicious narrative” about him via the content of the lyrics, single artwork and music video for Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’. It also claims that the release and promotion of the song has resulted in “physical threat to Drake’s safety” as well as “the bombardment of online harassment” and as such, “fears for the safety and security of himself, his family and his friends”.
According to the complaint, filed in a New York court today, “this lawsuit is not about the artist who created Not Like Us. 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”.
“The recording cloaks cleverly dangerous lyrics behind a catchy beat and inviting hook. Capitalizing on those attributes, UMG used every tool at its disposal to ensure that the world would hear that Drake “like ’em young,'” that lawsuit reads.
The document also includes a picture of a flyer that was put up in the rapper’s neighborhood calling him a predator, cites numerous TikTok and YouTube posts that disparage him because of the song, and asserts that the musician had to withdraw his child from school out of concern for his safety.
This latest suit follows news that the Canadian rap star withdrew a previous filing against UMG and streaming giant Spotify, which accused the companies of launching a campaign that paid influencers, radio stations and others to promote the song last summer.
“UMG may spin this complaint as a rap beef gone legal, but this lawsuit is not about a war of words between artists. This lawsuit involves no claims against Kendrick Lamar or any other artist; instead, it is about UMG — the publisher and exclusive rights holder of Lamar’s music, as well as Drake’s — and its malicious decision to publish and promote” the track, the lawsuit reads.
“Not Like Us” has of course become a West Coast anthem, has been streamed more than one billion times worldwide (and counting) and is nominated for five awards heading into the 2025 Grammys next month, including Song and Record of the Year. It was also the most on-demand streamed song in the U.S. in 2024.
Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ was the most on-demand streamed song of 2024 in the U.S. (Luminate year-end report) pic.twitter.com/WlyM3Ykrhg
— Navjosh (@Navjosh) January 15, 2025
Drake is suing UMG for an undisclosed amount in damages.
