Drake Sues Universal Music Group Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

On By Littum

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Drake slams his own record label Universal Music Group over his spring beef with rap rival Kendrick Lamar.

The Canadian rapper filed a federal lawsuit in New York’s Southern District on Wednesday against his own record label, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, alleging “corporate greed” in their promotion of the Lamar song, which claims Drake is a “certified pedophile”.

USA TODAY has reached out to Drake’s representatives and Universal Music Group for comment. Drake has denied Lamar’s claims.

The rapper’s lawyers say he “informed” UMG of the “tangible harm” the song had caused, including incidents naming his 7-year-old son Adonis, which involved violence, threats and financial damage, though he claims the music company ” refused to do anything to help.”

Drake sues UMG, claims label ‘intentionally’ tried to make him a ‘pariah’

Drake’s lawyers claim that despite a relationship spanning a decade, UMG “intentionally sought to make Drake a pariah, a target for harassment or worse.” The rapper’s lawyers also claim that the label ignored his requests “because it would serve to damage Drake’s reputation.”

In particular, the lawsuit explains that the case “is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us'”. Instead, it’s all about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit and monetize the song, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY.

In an alarming part of the case, Drake claims he pulled Adonis out of the elementary school he was attending at the time, and when school ended for summer vacation, he “arranged for his son and mother to leave Toronto entirely.”

Drake dropped the original UMG, Spotify complaint before it bombed with new lawsuit

The rapper, legally born Aubrey Graham, dismissed his original lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the label and Spotify of participating in a “scheme to ensure” Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” “breaks through” on multiple streaming platforms .

He filed the new petition Tuesday with the New York Supreme Court, withdrawing his request that the court order the companies to turn over evidence related to his claims, also known as pre-action discovery (Spotify had initially filed an objection to the discovery, while UMG had yet to file one, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY).

Drake, UMG and Spotify “met and conferred” on Tuesday, according to the court documents, and Spotify had “no objection to the withdrawal and termination.”

Drake’s representatives have previously declined to comment on his dropping the original complaint.

Drake, explained the Kendrick Lamar feud

The roots of Lamar and Drake’s feud go back more than a decade to 2013, though things quickly escalated this past spring when the two traded barbs and barbs with shocking allegations.

In a petition filed in November in New York Supreme Court, the Canadian rapper accused Universal Music Group and Spotify of engaging in a “scheme to ensure” that Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” “break through” on multiple streaming platforms.

Drake also claimed that UMG used underhand tactics to gain more listeners to the Lamar song on Spotify and radio stations, resulting in “Not Like Us” breaking a pair of Spotify records and landing at No. 1 twice on the Billboard Top 100.

“UMG’s plans to artificially inflate the popularity of ‘Not Like Us’ were motivated, at least in part, by the desire of executives at Interscope (Records) to maximize their own profits,” Drake’s petition claims. He suspects UMG of being involved in extortion through bribery as well as deceptive business practices and false advertising.

The November filing in New York named Frozen Moments, LLC as the petitioner. Drake is the manager of the LLC, per Florida Division of Corporations.

“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the music company said in a statement to USA TODAY in November. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.” Spotify has previously declined to comment.

Cast: Caché McClay, Bob Mehr, The Nashville Tennessean