Drake is suing Universal Music Group, the company that issues his recordings, for defamation.
This is the latest salvo on the ongoing feud between Draka aka Aubrey Graham, and Kendrick Lamar, who is also with Universal.
The feud has become byzantine at this point. Few people understand it, and the ones that do seem to side with Lamar.
But now Drake has called in super law firm Willie Farr & Gallagher.
What makes this lawsuit even more complicated is that in 2022, Drake signed a deal with UMG that was reported to be worth as much as $400 million, making it one of the largest recording contracts ever.
This is how the complaint is over the Kendrick release, a rap song called “Not Like Us,” a jab at Drake that became not only a commercial hit, but also a Grammy nominee.
“Not Like Us,” the complaint says, suggests Drake is a pedophile. (It’s not too kind to The Weeknd either.)
The lyrics include:
“Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young
You better not ever go to cell block one
To any b!tch that talk to him and they in love
Just make sure you hide your lil’ sister from him”
also
“The audience not dumb
Shape the stories how you want, hey, Drake, they’re not slow
Rabbit hole is still deep, I can go further, I promise”
In the 91 page complaint, Drake demands a jury trial. What’s interesting is that he’s suing Universal for promoting and publicizing the song, leading to all kinds of threats against him including in person violence and online doxxing.’
A statement from Drake’s legal team:
“Drake filed a lawsuit against his label, Universal Music Group, to hold UMG accountable for knowingly promoting false and defamatory allegations against him. Beginning on May 4, 2024 and every day since, UMG has used its massive resources as the world’s most powerful music company to elevate a dangerous and inflammatory message that was designed to assassinate Drake’s character, and led to actual violence at Drake’s doorstep. UMG wants the public to believe that this is fight between artists, but this lawsuit is not brought against Kendrick Lamar. This lawsuit reveals the human and business consequences to UMG’s elevation of profits over the safety and well-being of its artists, and shines a light on the manipulation of artists and the public for corporate gain.”
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