Rapper Aims to Hold Label Responsible for Promoting “False and Malicious Narrative”
The Rapper's Explosive Lawsuit Against the Label
As the world's biggest record company, Universal Music Group (UMG) is no stranger to high-profile disputes. But their latest legal battle with superstar rapper Drake has the industry buzzing.
In a bombshell federal lawsuit, Drake has accused UMG of defamation and harassment over the release and promotion of Kendrick Lamar's scathing diss track “Not Like Us.”
The song, which has racked up over 1 billion streams, paints Drake as a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him.
Drake alleges that UMG “approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit” out of the track, despite knowing the “salacious allegations” were false. The lawsuit claims UMG's actions have endangered Drake's life, citing a security guard being shot at his home shortly after the song's release.
Weaponizing the Legal System?
UMG has vehemently denied the allegations, calling the notion that they would “seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — illogical.”
They argue that Drake has “intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles'” and is now “seek[ing] to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist's creative expression.”
The high-stakes lawsuit was brought by a legal team led by Michael J. Gottlieb, known for using defamation law to take on powerful figures like Rudy Giuliani. Gottlieb frames the case as being “entirely about UMG,” not the artist Kendrick Lamar.
A Clash of Titans: Leverage in Contract Negotiations
Industry insiders see this lawsuit as a proxy battle over Drake's upcoming contract renegotiations with UMG.
The filing alleges UMG promoted “Not Like Us” to “devalue Drake's music and brand” and gain leverage to force him into a new deal on more favorable terms for the label.
UMG, however, maintains they have “invested massively” in Drake's success over the years and vows to “vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation.”
The outcome of this clash could have far-reaching implications for how record labels navigate creative disputes with their biggest stars.
