Court verdicts or settlement announcements

Drake Withdraws Petition, Sues Universal Music for Defamation Over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'

Jan 15, 2025, 03:57 PM

Drake has withdrawn his legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify after reaching an agreement and has now filed a federal defamation lawsuit against UMG. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, alleges that UMG promoted Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us,' which accuses Drake of pedophilia, and that UMG spread a 'false and malicious narrative' to harm his reputation. Drake claims that UMG engaged in an illegal scheme involving bots and payola to artificially inflate the song's streaming numbers, prioritized corporate profits over his safety, and allowed monetized reactions without enforcing copyright claims. He further accuses the company of defamation and harassment, asserting that their actions have put him and his family in danger. The lawsuit refers to the issue as the '2024 equivalent of Pizzagate' and alleges that UMG valued 'corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.' Additionally, Drake alleges that the song contains anti-Semitic remarks referencing his Jewish heritage.