Drake is officially suing Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar‘s hit diss song “Not Like Us.”
On Wednesday (January 15), Drizzy filed a complaint in New York federal court accusing the music giant — the parent company of his and Kendrick’s respective record labels — of defamation and harassment.
In the suit, which has been viewed by HipHopDX, the Toronto rap star condemns UMG for having “approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him.”
He repeats previous claims that the company used “unlawful” methods to turn “Not Like Us” into a global hit, including secretly paying for fake streams and radio play.
The motive for this, he says, was financial. Not only would the song generate massive amounts of money through streams and sales, but UMG knew its “dangerous” content would “devalue Drakeβs music and brand” and give them an advantage when it came time to renegotiate his contract.
“UMG anticipated that extending Drakeβs contract would be costly,” the lawsuit reads. “By devaluing Drakeβs music and brand, UMG would gain leverage to force Drake to sign a new deal on terms more favorable to UMG.”
Supporting his claim of defamation, the complaint includes numerous examples of the “avalanche of online hate speech” that has “branded Drake a sex offender and pedophile.”
It also cites a shooting at the rapper’s Toronto home shortly after the release of “Not Like Us” which injured a security guard, as well as multiple trespassing incidents. According to Drake, UMG is to blame.
He even claims that this pattern of “violence and vitriol” has left him “fear[ing] for the safety and security of himself, his family, and his friends.”
“After the attacks on his home, Drake pulled his son out of the elementary school he attended in Toronto due to safety concerns, and once school ended for the summer, Drake arranged for his son and mother to leave Toronto entirely,” the lawsuit reads. “Day to day, Drake continues to take steps to address persistent threats to his security.”
Drizzy claims that he confronted UMG about the release and promotion of “Not Like Us,” as well as the “tangible harm” that he has faced as a result of the song, but the company did nothing.
While the 6 God has faced backlash within the Hip Hop community for taking legal action in a rap beef, the lawsuit makes clear that his dispute is solely with UMG and not Kendrick Lamar.
“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 allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous,” it says.
The suit, which UMG has yet to respond to, demands a jury trial.
The bombshell filing comes shortly after Drake withdrew his initial pre-action petition against the music conglomerate, leading many to believe that he was backing out of the legal battle.
Submitted in November, the petition laid out Drizzy’s allegations of streaming bots and payola, among other things, and sought information from UMG and Spotify for a potential future lawsuit.
UMG vehemently denied the claims in a statement at the time, while Spotify submitted an opposition to the petition also denying any wrongdoing.
Around the same time, Drake filed a similar petition in Texas against UMG and iHeartMedia. While a lawsuit has yet to be issued in that case, a court hearing is scheduled for January 28 to determine whether the “God’s Plan” hitmaker can depose individuals from the two companies.
Mandem decide to put the burner on blast π₯I say let Benderick do his little LA rap now it’s classicππ
Greg coping with the L. Your boy is suing YouTube reactors because how much he wants and should off himself
LA is over. Not sure what you are babbling about. Benderick is a worldwide joke. I guess if you are 15 you don’t really know what happened yet
My gayness isn’t over, it’s just begun. Drake is the best at everything except rapping. I’m the best at wrapping my lips around his dick. Kendrick is the better artist but I can’t resist that Drake dick.
When people say Drake isn’t a real rapper, this is exactly what they mean.
Hope Drake has a strong team and no dark secrets or skeletons in the closet . UMG gonna use dirty tactics hope Drake prepared for that
What a sad pathetic miserable man. Greg’s cutting himself as well speak
BBLDRIZZY still losing sleep over the spring and summer of 2024. He’s gonna continue losing into 2025 with them spoiled brat entitlement bars that are not hittin’!
Bro! Stop man smh
Drake is a bitch! Why not sue Kendrick since he is the one that actually called you a bitch among other things?
The Karen of hip hop strikes again. Drake would like to speak to a manager, please π
Wow … Drake really want to he a Karen sk bad lol
Wow … Drake really want to be a Karen so bad lol
Drake’s suing YouTubers for reaction videos. What a walking talking vagina.
The Other Vaginal Option
“The Hebrew is strong in this one”
maybe we got to go down to LA and finish these cocksuckersπ – dead these worthless f89ggots subhuman Bendrick loving homos.π€ Burn in the fire f8ggots soon you will turn on each otherπ
I’m suck a f8ggot and a ππ. My fellow homos can agree that Drake is King π. My π₯ will never go out.
Correct me if I’m wrong here. Isn’t the point of a rap diss to devalue your opponent so the fan base abandons them? Did Jay-Z sue over Ether? Did Ja sue over Back Down? Did Biggie sue over Hit Em Up? This is embarrassing.
hey f8ggot – since when is a “rap diss” acceptable common law defense for defamation? You idiots have smoke in your brains
I like your name. I’ll bend over and you slam me harder than Drake’s lawyer slam down this lawsuit. I’ll be your f8ggot.
the definition of defamation is knowingly spreading falsehoods about someone. Drake has never been accused charged or convicted of any crime and his personal reputation is all he has. school kids might think it’s a big joke but it’s sad that grown men think you can hide behind “rap diss” and defame someone. all you can do is hope they don’t sue.
Lol
most of these rap clowns WISH they had the money to take it to court they don’t sue because they can’t they broke π€£π€£π€£π€£π€£π€£STOP THE CAP π€
Most f8ggot only dream of sleeping with Drake. I WILL get him in my ποΈ. He will break my backππππ₯°π€€π. BRING THE DICK.π
Drake fell off. Kendrick Lamar ruined that queerβs career.
Kendrick Lamar ended his fake career. Lol.
Drake is gay.
Drake is jealous of Kendrick Lamar.
grown men understand Benderick is over. π₯πLA is done. π
Little kids still think :”gay” is a real wordπ€
GAY /Ι‘Δ/ adjective – sexually or romantically attracted to people of one’s own sex (used especially of a man).
… and it has a picture of you.
Naw, that my dad’s picture you’re seeing in there.
Y’all silly as fuck. Good shit πππ
grown men understand Benderick is over. π₯πLA is done. π
Little kids still think “gay” is a real wordπ€
grown men who love Drake understand that “gay” is out favorite word π³οΈβππ¬ππ¨ββ€οΈβπ¨. As long as San Francisco is still standing then all is goodπ
gay isnt a word, it’s a lifestyle
Real talk. Drake took an Big L. Drake took Rappin 4 Tay lyrics and who else Too Short also. He owes The Bay Area. Nuff Said
Real talk. Drake took an Big L. Drake took Rappin 4 Tay lyrics and who else Too Short also. He owes The Bay Area. Nuff Said
shut the entire fuck up bloodclaat fashion dreads fake rasta cocksucker. Get a fucking job and instead of sniffing around rapping 4 tay ass read who marcus garvey was. where did he come from what is he known for why did he rise to prominence again in the 1970s okay fake rasta dave?
Sucking π is the best job I’ve ever had. Call me Wrappin4Gay ππ€€π. Been doing this since 2009.
these cocksucker mock Marcus Garvey they only care about representing f8ggotry so their entire thing burnt down. all the smoke was coming from that part of the world. It burned down completely. Check the maps. the batty bwoy dem perish from the worst sicknesses. but this time jah just nuked their scene. they can’t recover. by 2030 they will crown Paris Hilton GOAT MC of LA
I β€οΈβπ₯π
Puff sued the wrong people too and look what happened
sounds like a true “rap fan” we are going to dead every cocksucker in view
I’m going to suck πevery πin my view
rap music “fans” are so stupid it will take them a year or two to understand the meaning of LA burning down to the ground. They still think “it’s lit” ππ€£π€£π€£π€£π€£π€£
I support π¬π¨ββ€οΈβπ¨ππ³οΈβπ
“Call the cop, When I see K.Dot, Lawsuits dropped, when I hear K.Dot”
I really don’t get it, this song is bad, kendrick has an annoying voice, there is no flow, the lyrics are weak, the beat is boring
Ok greg, you’re so predictable it’s puzzling π€
Is Greg Top5?
Since I’m obsessed with wokeness and Kendrick is WOKE, I am TEAM DRIZZY all the way!
what the hell happen to real hip hop, when the hell, dudes start to sue, if that the case everybody that ever made a dis track should be sue
come on trolls its past your bedtime
-what drake told 14 year old Millie Bobbie and 15 year old Billie eilish when he gave them their kids meals and told them bedtime stories.
This is so the song doesn’t get played at the super bowl
Who?
This makes him look weak.. he needs to stay in the R&B category lol. He too soft for rap.
Drake playing chess, putting UMG on notice.
this is wild and so on point with this time line ow my bawls i cant teally believe it but wow