Topline
Drake filed an amended complaint in federal court updating his lawsuit accusing Universal Music Group of defamation, stating the label fueled public belief he is a pedophile (which Drake denies) by promoting rap rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl and Grammys, amplifying the “defamatory material” to millions of viewers.
Drake updated his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group to include Kendrick Lamar’s … More
Key Facts
Drake accused UMG, the label that represents both Drake and Lamar, of orchestrating a “highly organized publicity campaign” to promote “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl halftime show in February, which Lamar headlined, in an attempt to “assassinate” Drake’s character.
The lawsuit says the Super Bowl halftime show was watched by 133 million people, including “millions of children” and “millions more who had never before heard the song.”
During his Super Bowl performance, Lamar did not rap the controversial lyric that accuses Drake of being a “certified pedophile,” which Drake mentioned in his suit as evidence the track is defamatory: “Nearly everyone understands that it is defamatory to falsely brand someone a ‘certified pedophile,’” the suit states.
Drake’s suit says the Super Bowl performance revitalized the song’s popularity, which returned to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and intensified the public’s belief Drake is a pedophile (which he denies), citing social media posts including a viral meme of Lamar smiling into the camera while rapping the lyric: “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young.”
The amended complaint also cites Lamar’s five Grammy victories for “Not Like Us” in February, including the night’s biggest awards of Record and Song of the Year, alleging Lamar’s wins and clips of the song played during the show exposed the track to the ceremony’s 15 million viewers.
Drake’s suit says after Lamar won Record of the Year, “Not Like Us” played as he walked to the stage, during which the crowd sang along, though this was cut from the Recording Academy’s YouTube video of Lamar’s victory.
How Did Universal Music Group Respond To Drake’s Amended Lawsuit?
Universal Music Group told Forbes in a statement that Drake, “with whom we’ve enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another.” The label called the lawsuit “an affront to all artists and creative expression. Should his legal representatives senselessly keep the New York lawsuit alive, we will demonstrate that all remaining claims are without merit,” adding the suit is “reputationally and financially costly to Drake” and has “no chance of success.”
Is Drake Suing Kendrick Lamar?
No. Universal Music Group is the only defendant listed in Drake’s lawsuit. Drake’s complaint clarifies the lawsuit is not targeting Lamar and is instead “entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous.”
When Did Drake Sue Umg—and Why?
Drake first filed pre-lawsuit legal notices in Texas in New York in November, claiming he would have grounds to file a lawsuit, before suing UMG in New York federal court in January. Drake’s lawsuit accuses UMG of defamation for releasing and promoting “Not Like Us,” which Drake says falsely accuses him of pedophilia, citing lyrics like: “‘Certified Lover Boy’? Certified pedophile,” and “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-Minor.” Drake’s suit also cites the cover art for “Not Like Us,” which is an image of his Toronto home edited with icons used by law enforcement to identify the presence of sex offenders. The suit also accuses UMG of using bots to artificially inflate the song’s streams on Spotify, paying radio stations to spin the song and collaborating with influencers to promote “Not Like Us.” Drake said the song caused people to believe as fact that he is a pedophile, citing social media posts and a trespassing incident on his Toronto home by an “armed group of assailants,” in which a security guard was shot, days after the song’s release.
Key Background
The lawsuit is the culmination of Drake and Lamar’s feud, which fans believe quietly stirred for years before exploding in the spring of 2024, when the two rappers traded diss tracks in quick succession. Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was the feud’s biggest success, and Lamar was declared by many fans and media outlets to be the winner of the feud. Drake and Lamar traded increasingly wild accusations during their war of words: in addition to the pedophilia accusations, Lamar accused Drake of fathering a secret daughter and that his inner circle was actively working against him. Drake accused Lamar of abusing his partner, an accusation he has previously denied, and claimed he planted false information in hopes Lamar would use it in a diss track. Several media outlets called Lamar’s Grammy victories and Super Bowl performance a victory lap for the rapper.
Further Reading
Drake Sues Universal Music Group For Defamation Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ (Forbes)
Drake-Kendrick Lamar Feud Timeline: ‘Not Like Us’ Headlines Super Bowl Show (Forbes)
