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Drake has escalated his ongoing authorized battle towards his report label, Universal Music Group (UMG), by submitting defamation lawsuit towards the guardian report label he and rival Kendrick Lamar are signed to.
The Toronto rapper filed a federal lawsuit within the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and referred to the discharge of Lamar’s diss monitor, “Not Like Us,” for instance of ” company greed over the security and well-being of its artists,” in response to The New York Times.
In his submitting, Drake’s staff says the diss monitor aimed on the Canadian rapper spreads the “false and malicious narrative” that he’s a pedophile.
“On May 4, 2024, UMG 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,” the grievance reads. “Even though UMG enriched itself and its shareholders by exploiting Drake’s music for years, and knew that the salacious allegations against Drake were false, UMG chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”
The submitting states that Drake is “not a pedophile” and he has “never engaged in any acts that would require him to be ‘placed on neighborhood watch’.”
“Drake has never engaged in sexual relations with a minor. Drake has never been charged with, or convicted of, any criminal acts whatsoever,” the go well with reads.
The lawsuit goes on to element a capturing at Drake’s dwelling a couple of days after the music was launched, leading to a safety guard being severely injured .
“During the nearly 30 minutes it took for the ambulance to arrive, Drake and others labored to keep the man alive by applying pressure to the gunshot wound with towels. Blood was everywhere,” the submitting reads.
According to the go well with, nothing like that had occurred to Drake or his household throughout the twenty years that he’s been working within the music business.
The lawsuit additionally states that the a number of break-in makes an attempt on his dwelling that occurred following the discharge of the music have been brought on by UMG’s actions.
“With the palpable physical threat to Drake’s safety and the bombardment of online harassment, Drake fears for the safety and security of himself, his family, and his friends,” in response to the brand new go well with. “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.”
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Drake’s staff is making it recognized that the brand new lawsuit is just not directed at Lamar and is clearly putting the blame on Universal for releasing, distributing and selling the music.
“This lawsuit is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us,’” the go well with reads. “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.”
Universal distributes each Drake and Lamar’s music however the go well with claims that as a result of Drake’s present cope with the label is nearing the tip of its time period, the corporate is making an attempt to devalue his music and popularity in an effort to achieve more-favorable phrases in any renegotiation.
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the 38-year-old rapper withdrew his authorized motion, backtracking on his claims that UMG and Spotify conspired to falsely enhance the streaming numbers for “Not Like Us” after the allegations have been denied by each corporations.
In earlier allegations that UMG referred to as “ offensive and untrue ,” the submitting stated the report firm “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, ‘Not Like Us,’ in order to make that song go viral, including by using ‘bots’ and pay-to-play agreements.” It stated the corporate and Spotify “have a long-standing, symbiotic business relationship” and alleges that UMG provided particular licensing charges to Spotify for the music.
The petition additionally stated UMG has fired staff seen as loyal to Drake “in an apparent effort to conceal its schemes.”
Lamar’s wildly in style single “Not Like Us,” was launched in May as a part of a flurry of dueling tracks by the 2 artists and consists of the lyrics, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young, You better not ever go to cell block one.”
Lamar additionally referred to as Drake a “colonizer” and attributed his success to the various different rappers Drake has labored with. It has change into the primary diss monitor to achieve one billion streams on Spotify, in response to figures listed on streaming service. It’s additionally nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, together with music and report of the 12 months.
The feud between Drake and Lamar is among the many largest in hip-hop in recent times, with two of the style’s largest stars at its centre.
The two have been occasional collaborators greater than a decade in the past, however Lamar started taking public jabs at Drake beginning in 2013. The struggle escalated steeply earlier final 12 months.
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If you or somebody you recognize is experiencing abuse or is concerned in an abusive scenario, please go to the Canadian Resource Center for Victims of Crime for assist. They are additionally reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.
—with information from The Associated Press and Global News
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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