Drake sues Universal Music Group over alleged defamation campaign
Rapper Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group, claiming the label defamed him over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track – Not Like Us. The lawsuit alleges a malicious campaign to spread falsehoods about Drake.
In a significant legal development, renowned rapper Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing the label of defamation and harassment.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that UMG conducted a malicious campaign to spread a false and malicious narrative about Kendrick Lamar via his diss track, Not Like Us. .
The lawsuit claims that UMG approved, published, and launched a campaign to make a rap track a viral hit that allegedly states specific, imprecise, and false factual allegations that Drake is a criminal pedophile.
Drake argues that the track was strategically promoted to encourage public outrage and vigilance.
Listen to the track here:
The rapper has accused UMG of using various methods to increase the reach of the song. According to the lawsuit, the label conspired with and paid currently unnamed parties to use bots to artificially boost Spotify streams of Not Like Us.
Drake also alleged that UMG paid social media influencers, including the hosts of the popular NFR podcast, to promote the song and its accompanying video.
The lawsuit further claims that UMG removed copyright restrictions on Not Like Us on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, allowing faster and wider dissemination of the track. Drake has pointed to popular streamers, including Kai Sennett, who have shared reaction videos to the diss track, as evidence of UMG’s efforts to maximize the song’s exposure.
Drax’s claim extends to allegations that UMG encouraged Apple to manipulate its digital voice assistant, Siri, to redirect users seeking other music to stream Not Like Us. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that radio stations were paid to increase airplay of the song, and that UMG used its influence over the Complex network to massively promote it. According to the lawsuit, Complex has published more than 50 articles about the track since May.
The lawsuit comes just a day after Drake withdrew an earlier legal petition against UMG. This escalation underscores the seriousness of the allegations and suggests a deep rift between the artist and his label.
Neither Universal Music Group nor Kendrick Lamar have issued any public response to the lawsuit at this time.
