Drake‘s team is speaking out following Universal Music Group’s (UMG) response to his amended defamation complaint, with a new statement from his spokesperson doubling down on the artist’s call for transparency and accountability.
In the statement issued Thursday, a spokesperson for the rapper said:
“UMG’s latest statement is a desperate attempt to spin the narrative and deflect from the truth: Drake is holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions and doing so without fear.”
The message comes just one day after Drake filed an amended complaint expanding his original lawsuit against UMG to include new allegations surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”, which Drake says was promoted and amplified by the label in ways that damaged his reputation.
UMG recently dismissed the lawsuit as baseless, but Drake’s team sees things differently. The statement clarifies that the dismissal of the Texas discovery action was strategic, with discovery now proceeding in New York. “That’s not retreat, that’s victory,” the spokesperson said. “UMG dismissed its first amendment petition in Texas because it has no claim, that’s losing.”
The statement also emphasizes that Drake is not trying to avoid scrutiny, saying he welcomes discovery and has nothing to hide. Instead, it points to UMG’s leadership as the ones who should be under the microscope.
“It’s not Drake who should worry; it’s UMG’s current leadership. We look forward to hearing from Lucian Grainge, John Janick, and UMG employees under oath.”
Drake’s team also criticized UMG’s artist relations, suggesting that the company prioritizes profit over creative integrity.
“UMG claims to stand for creativity, but in fact exploits it and the artist community knows that. UMG drains artists for its profits, then discards them.”
The statement ends by pushing back on UMG’s recent warning to Drake to “be careful what you ask for” as discovery moves forward.
“Drake knows exactly what he asked for: the truth and accountability.”
Drake’s amended complaint, filed Wednesday, includes new details about UMG’s alleged involvement in Lamar’s Grammy performance and Super Bowl appearance, as well as claims that the label enabled widespread distribution of content that harmed Drake’s reputation.
While UMG continues to challenge the suit’s validity, the court recently allowed discovery to proceed, paving the way for both sides to request internal documents and communications ahead of a hearing scheduled for June 30.
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