The music industry is reeling after reports surfaced that Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit against his own label, Universal Music Group (UMG). In the explosive filing, Drake accuses UMG of promoting Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” knowing it contained false and damaging allegations, according to TMZ Hip Hop.
Filed Wednesday in federal court in New York City, the lawsuit alleges that UMG intentionally spread and monetized false claims from Kendrick Lamar’s track and accompanying video, which refer to Drake as a pedophile. Drake calls the accusations “false and malicious” and claims the label leveraged the controversy for financial gain.
In the lawsuit, Drake states, “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 a song that it knew contained false claims.”
Drake alleges that UMG saw the inflammatory nature of the song as a “gold mine” and intentionally pushed it to devalue his brand. According to the suit, UMG’s ulterior motive was to harm Drake’s reputation to gain leverage in future contract negotiations.
The lawsuit accuses UMG of using unethical methods to inflate the song’s success. Drake claims that UMG:
- Paid third-party services to use bots, increasing the track’s streams by at least 30 million.
- Engaged in a “pay-for-play” scheme with at least one radio promoter to secure significant airplay for the song.
- Labeled “Not Like Us” a “chart-topper” despite its success being based on fraudulent data.
Drake’s legal team believes these tactics were part of a broader scheme to diminish his standing in the music industry.
Drake’s lawsuit also highlights UMG’s alleged involvement in securing Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime performance. He claims the label planned to use the event to further promote “Not Like Us” on one of the world’s largest stages.
Drake calls the Super Bowl “one of the most significant cultural events of the year” and questions whether the NFL and FOX, which is airing the game, will allow Kendrick to perform the song with its controversial lyrics.
Interestingly, Drake makes it clear that Kendrick Lamar is not the target of the lawsuit. Instead, he focuses his accusations on UMG, which he believes exploited the song for profit while disregarding the consequences of its content.
“This lawsuit is not about Kendrick Lamar,” Drake emphasizes in the filing. “It’s about the reckless actions of UMG.”
Will this lawsuit change how labels operate, or will it simply add another chapter to Drake’s storied career?
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