Drake‘s lawsuit against UMG over their release and promotion of Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” is being called a “misguided attempt to salve his wounds” by the label, who is looking to have the case totally thrown out.
Legal Affairs & Trials reporter Meghann Cuniff obtained new documents filed on Monday (March 17), which finds UMG requesting to dismiss with prejudice.
“Plaintiff, one of the most successful rap artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated,” lawyers for the label wrote. “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff’s complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
Drake’s lawyer Michael Gottlieb later released a statement in response, claiming UMG is pretending this is about losing the battle in order to deflect from their wrongdoing.
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“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence,” he wrote. “This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering and abusing its artists.”
A judge has yet to rule.
“Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.”
UMG has moved to dismiss Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” pic.twitter.com/UOwv6DVNlo
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) March 17, 2025
Earlier this month, Judge Jeanette Vargas ruled that a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 2, which UMG had tried to delay, will take place. In addition, discovery in the case — where the parties exchange information — will begin, despite the corporation claiming that starting the process at this point was “premature” given the state of the case.
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UMG wanted to delay the hearing so that the judge can have time to consider Universal’s motion to dismiss the case entirely, which they had to – and clearly did – file by March 17.
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.
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UMG has denied Drake’s accusations.
