Drake Sues Universal Music Group for Defamation

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Drake has filed a lawsuit against his longtime label, Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing them of defamation due to the promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” Drake claims that the song falsely accuses him of being a pedophile, which has endangered him and his family.

In a complaint presented in federal court in Manhattan, Drake stated that the song was intended to deliver the specific and false allegation that he is a criminal pedophile, inciting the public to enact vigilante justice against him.

As a result, Drake has experienced attempted break-ins at his residence and has had to increase security measures. He also pulled his seven-year-old son from his school in Toronto.

Drake and Lamar have had a public feud for nearly ten years. In his complaint, Drake asserted, “UMG may spin this complaint as a rap beef gone legal, but this lawsuit is not about a war of words between artists.” He condemned UMG for prioritizing corporate greed over the safety of its artists, characterizing their actions as intentionally turning him into a pariah.

UMG and its legal representatives have not yet responded to the allegations, although they have denied any attempts to undermine Drake’s career or engage in unethical promotion practices.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages for defamation and harassment. It is noteworthy that Kendrick Lamar is not being sued, despite Drake labeling “Not Like Us” as defamatory. Further details from Drake’s legal team have not yet been disclosed.

This lawsuit follows a prior petition filed in state court where Drake accused UMG and Spotify of using payola and streaming bots to promote “Not Like Us” to the detriment of his music, which he withdrew shortly before this lawsuit.

The ongoing legal matters also include a case against UMG and iHeartMedia in Texas state court.

The feud has manifested through various diss tracks, including “Not Like Us,” where Lamar directly references Drake, alleging he “likes ’em young” and labels him a “certified pedophile.” In response, Drake released “Family Matters,” which accused Lamar of personal misdeeds and hinted at infidelity.

Lamar’s song topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for two weeks and received five Grammy nominations, including record of the year and song of the year.

The case is cited as Graham v UMG Recordings Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 25-00399.