Drake‘s legal battle with Universal Music Group could be set to take another dramatic turn as the music conglomerate has asked a Texas court to toss out the pre-action petition he filed against them in November.
In a motion to dismiss filed in Bexar County on Thursday (January 23), UMG claims that the Toronto rapper (who is signed to them through Republic Records) has insufficient evidence to support his allegation that they engaged in payola to spread Kendrick’s hit diss song.
The company also argues that the release and promotion of the track is protected under the First Amendment.
“Because [Drake’s] petition is related to and was filed in response to UMG’s protected free speech, and because [Drake] cannot carry his burden to establish by clear and specific evidence that he is entitled to pre-suit discovery, the Court should dismiss [Drake’s] retaliatory legal action against UMG,” the filing reads.
UMG continues: “[Drake] provides nothing outside of his verified petition, which alone cannot provide an evidentiary basis for a petition. Even looking into the petition […] there is no evidentiary support for his asserted need for pre-suit deposition of UMG.”
The music giant also calls Drizzy’s claim that they secretly funneled payments to radio stations to play “Not Like Us” “hearsay” and “not admissible as evidence.”
UMG further argues that the petition should be dismissed as the 6 God “did not file [it] in a ‘proper court'” as required by state law and has “already filed suit on his potential claims, obviating any need for pre-suit discovery” — referencing the defamation lawsuit he filed against UMG in federal New York court earlier this month.
They additionally claim that instead of addressing his grievances with Kendrick Lamar, Drake “has resorted to strategic legal retaliation against UMG and others, in an apparent effort to pressure them to limit the distribution of ‘Not Like Us.'”
They also call his recent wave of legal filings a “nationwide effort to harass and retaliate against UMG for exercising its free speech rights.”
Universal are not only looking to have the petition thrown out, they want Drake to cover their legal fees. They are also requesting a hearing on their motion to be scheduled within 60 days and the court to “suspend all discovery related to this matter” until a ruling has been made.
Drake and his legal team have yet to respond to the filing, but a hearing is currently scheduled for January 28 to determine whether the rapper can depose employees of UMG, as well as iHeartMedia, for a potential future lawsuit.
This hearing may not go ahead as planned, however, if the petition is dismissed or a delay is ordered by the judge.
UMG also recently issued a forceful response to Drake’s aforementioned defamation lawsuit, denying any wrongdoing and accusing the Canadian superstar of trying to “weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression,” referring to his fierce rival Kendrick Lamar.
If UMG loses this case, it will be the end of diss songs and possibly Hip Hop/Rap music
Fuck Drake
and if you don’t like it you can come up to Toronto and get shot over it. FUCK RAP CORRUPT LA F8GGOTS DIE
I like it from the back. I’m a TorontHoe and will take any milk blast to the face. I’M STILL WANTING SOME LA GANGSTAZ TO FUCK ME LIKE THE F8GGOT I AM.
Ain’t nobody scared of your free healthcare syrup drinking ass. Y’all couldn’t even fuck up Rick Ross. I hope Trump takes over your land lmfao
gay greg is angry again. Question, why are you so obsessed with Drake, mention gay stuff, and LA? Did your boyfriend break up with you or something? You need to chill. You’re doing way too much.
maybe those tears can put out the fire and you can find a home again. Until then you can all suck my cock losers. Your shit burnt the fuck down. Keep crying. Can’t even defend yourselves. Moving the oscars next week
The only tears coming from anyone is me due to having my anus torn open
LA folks don’t find you funny anymore.🤓 I guarantee you that. But hey whatever you want kid.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 In LA 50000 burned acres is not a joke. 📉To some random yt homosexual kid it is.😔 We have noted no non-cocksuckers have bothered to defend Benderick at this point. 🙉They stopped 3 weeks ago
Gay
Looooool! UMG let’s gooooooooo!!!!! They not like us for real!!!!!
Drake is gay
Drake is a Karen
It’s crazy that drake doesn’t realize how awful this lawsuit makes him look. Suing because you lost a rap beef is the softest move ever. Doesn’t he have family or friends to talk him out of it ?
I don’t think it has to do with beef. It’s not cool to be labeled as a pedo
Stop grooming underage girls and no one would call you a pedo. Isn’t there officially 6 if not more confirmed underage girls he was talking to? 2 of which he started dating the DAY they turned 18??????
I mean why do you have to insist on the yt f8ggot talk on a rap site? acting like some fucking anti rock and roll anti Chuck Berry anti life cocksucker yt f8ggot trying to play yt cop acting like 16 isn’t legal and pedos aren’t in your whole family molesting 8 year old boys🤓
Pedophiles are my friends just like Drake.
@Sollazzo So what if a rapper calls another rapper gay? Will he sue? What if he calls him a scumbag? Will he sue? Of course not, because they’d look like huge pussies, just like Drake does
No one wants to be labeled as a pedophile. Being gay or a scumbag isn’t a crime.
@Sollozzo It is in some countries. Being gay or a scumbag can be punishable by death.
We’re not in those countries
@Sollozo Name me one other rapper who has sued another rapper because he called him a name?
No man wants to be labeled as a person who molest innocent children. 2Pac and 50 never went to that level
Drake’s legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) over a controversial diss track is being delayed after the wildfires in Los Angeles caused a delay in the record label’s defense.
UMG, the defendant in the high-profile lawsuit filed by the Canadian rap star, has requested a 34-day extension to respond to the claims, citing the impact of the natural disaster on its executives and legal team.
UMG’s lawyer, Nicholas P. Crowell, submitted a formal request to the court, explaining the urgent need for additional time.
“We request this extension…because the wildfires in Los Angeles have greatly impacted Defendant’s executive and legal teams. An extension from the Court would enable sufficient time to respond,” Crowell explained.
Give it a rest gay greg, drake isn’t going to bang you. You’re way too old for him
He’s already pounded my hole into oblivion. I dick ride him so much that I make Riley Reid look like an amateur.
More than 50,000 acres of southern Californian land has been torched since the Palisades wildfire broke out on January 7, taking 28 lives, destroying thousands of homes and causing hundreds of billions of dollars of economic loss in the state.
According to the latest figures from Cal Fire, approximately 50,683 acres have been burned – almost double the area of Paris.
The Palisades (23,400 acres burned), Eaton (14,000 acres burned) and Hughes (10,400 acres burned) fires continue to rage, as firefighters continue efforts to contain the blazes.
I live on the other side of the country, the LA fires don’t affect me. But laughing at it just shows what a piece of shit you are. typical gay male Drake groupie
so you’re a Benderick loving f8ggot who never cared about LA and wants it to burn down. That’s the exact reason why Benderick lost the Super Bowl gig and no rappers is at any fire relief concert. We all know you f8ggots burned down LA with malice and bad faith
Gay greg has already liked his own comment 9 times 😆 Let’s see how many more he does today . What an absolute failure at life lol
What a pathetic douchebag you are. You don’t have any friends other than child molesters and other gay fan boys. Liking your own comments.😂
lol so jealous of a man with his own city to live in unlike you cocksuckers burned beyond recognition💥 obsessed with “likes” on a board📉 fucking so pathetic you loser Benderick fans😔 and your bitter f8ggot ways. 🤓just all burning down the ground daily📉
A city full of homos. It’s just the Canadian version of San Francisco. It’s not even a city, it’s one big late night gay bar.
Chubbs going to look at those attorneys with a really mean face – that will show them!
UMG, the defendant in the high-profile lawsuit filed by the Canadian rap star, has requested a 34-day extension to respond to the claims, citing the impact of the natural disaster on its executives and legal team. UMG’s lawyer, Nicholas P. Crowell, submitted a formal request to the court, explaining the urgent need for additional time. “We request this extension…because the wildfires in Los Angeles have greatly impacted Defendant’s executive and legal teams.
Sorry guys, I’m on butt rest. Putting some ice on my hole
Judging by that photo, gay ass Drake is running around with zesty dudes.
That’s the type that also listens to his music. Like a certain super gay guy whose name rhymes with beg.
IF I TYPE IN CAPS AND REPEATEDLY LIKE MY OWN COMMENTS DO YOU THINK DRAKE WILL FINALLY NOTICE ME? I LOVE YOU DRIZZY ! LET ME HAVE YOUR BABIES- Love, great greg
Since Kendrick is performing at the Superbowl halftime show, Drake is trying to get the NFL to let him be a cheerleader there