Drake, Kendrick Lamar.
Getty Images (2)Drake He filed a federal lawsuit against his record label, Universal Music Group, accusing the company of defaming and harassing him by releasing him. Kendrick Lamar“Not like us.”
One day after the petition was withdrawn UMG was accused of artificially inflating Due to the song's popularity, the 38-year-old rapper filed a federal lawsuit in New York City on Wednesday, January 15, claiming that the brand “chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”
And in a complaint I received Us WeeklyDrake (born Aubrey Drake Graham) claims that UMG — which is also home to Lamar, 37 — “agreed, published and launched a campaign to create a widely successful rap track that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retaliation against him.” He is asking for a jury trial as well as damages, attorneys' fees, and a “declaratory declaration that the statements published and promoted by UMG” were false.
The file refers to an incident that occurred on May 7, 2024, in which a “group of attackers” went to Drake's home in Toronto. And they opened fire. “Drake was inside,” the recording continued. “The car stopped in front of the house, someone shouted ‘F-Drake,’ and at least one gunman began shooting. One bullet went through the security gate and hit Drake’s front door. Another bullet struck a security guard, who was also one of Drake’s friends, wounding him.”
The rap feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake is so heated that it could burn the hip-hop world to the ground. Lamar, 36, and Drake, 37, have been waging a lyrical war, releasing increasingly personal tracks over the past few days. Drake's song “Family Matters” accused Lamar of being a “fake” activist, and claimed that Lamar physically (…)
The security guard survived the incident, but a day later, another intruder allegedly “used his bare hands to dig a hole” under the fence surrounding the home, the complaint states. Another break-in attempt occurred the next day as well.
“These acts of violence against his residence, where Drake lives with his son, and against his businesses, are not normal,” the rapper’s legal team wrote. “In all the years he has been a celebrity, nothing like the events of early May has ever happened to Drake before. Following these attacks, Drake reasonably fears for the safety of his family and himself, especially at his property in Toronto.
Drake performing on stage.
Prince Williams/WireimageUMG denied Drake's claims in a statement we On Thursday, January 16th.
“Not only are these allegations untrue, but the idea that we would seek to damage the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is preposterous,” a UMG spokesperson said. “We have invested heavily in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieving historic commercial and personal financial success.” Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in traditionally gruesome “rap battles” to express his feelings toward other artists. He now seeks to use the legal process as a weapon to silence an artist's creative expression and seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist's music.
Drake won't try to stop Kendrick Lamar from performing his mega-hit “Not Like Us” at next year's Super Bowl halftime show. “The rumors are completely false,” a rep for Drake, 37, told Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, October 1. This denial comes after reports spread that the “Hotline Bling” rapper planned (…)
The statement continued: “We have not and will not engage in defamation – against any individual. At the same time, we will vigorously defend this lawsuit to protect our people and reputation, as well as any artist who may directly or indirectly become the target of a frivolous lawsuit because they did nothing more than write a song.
Lamar released “Not Like Us” on May 4, 2024, amid a feud between him and Drake that saw both men circulating tracks on social media. While both released several new songs at the time, “Not Like Us” quickly rose in popularity, reaching number one on the charts. Bulletin board Hot 100.
In the song, Lamar accused Drake of pedophilia in the following lines: “Certified lover boy? Certified pedophile” and “Trina strikes a chord and is likely underage.”
Drake addressed the accusation in follow-up song “The Heart Pt. 6,” rapping, “I've never been with anyone underage but now I understand why this angle you're really messing with me / Just to be clear, I'm disgusted, I'm so respectful / If I'd have sex with young girls, I promise I'll get caught/I'm very popular for this – I just suggested.
The feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake became one of the most famous rap brawls in history, but their relationship wasn't always fraught with tension. Before Lamar made his debut with 2012's Good Kid, the MAAD City, Compton native and Drake were on good terms. Lamar appeared as a guest on Drake's show 2011 (…)
After Lamar landed in Super Bowl LIX Halftime show In 2025, rumors circulated that Drake sent him a cease and desist letter for performing the song “Not Like Us,” but Drake's rep shut down the speculation. “The rumors are completely false,” the representative said. we In a statement in October 2024.
One month later, Drake filed a legal petition in New York City accusing UMG of artificially inflating the popularity of “Not Like Us” using bots and other strategies. He voluntarily withdrew that petition on Tuesday, January 14, but the new lawsuit accuses the company of using “third parties to fake streams” for the track.
UMG strongly denied Drake's claims at the time Bulletin board In a statement: “To suggest that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We use the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and ridiculous legal arguments in this advance submission can hide the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.
