Drake Federally Sues Common Music Group Over Kendrick Lamar’s “Defamatory” Diss Tune “Not Like Us”

Nonetheless, the attorneys additionally clarify that the grievance “is not in regards to the artist who created ‘Not Like Us.’ It’s, as a substitute, fully about UMG, the music firm that determined to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood weren’t solely false, however harmful.” They proceed: “Drake will not be a pedophile. Drake has by no means engaged in any acts that might require he be ‘positioned on neighborhood watch.’ Drake has by no means engaged in sexual relations with a minor. Drake has by no means been charged with, or convicted of, any prison acts in anyway.”

Common Music Group has beforehand denied Drake’s claims of wrongdoing. Pitchfork has reached out to the corporate’s representatives for remark.

The lawsuit continues by alleging that Common Music Group undertook a “profitable” and “unrelenting marketing campaign” to advertise the track, its single paintings (“depicting Drake’s precise Toronto home”), and its music video “as broadly as attainable.” “UMG did so as a result of it understood that the Recording’s inflammatory and stunning allegations have been a gold mine,” Drake’s group contends.

UMG’s marketing campaign, in accordance with the lawsuit, concerned serving to safe Kendrick Lamar’s spot as the Tremendous Bowl LVI halftime present performer and paying to advertise the Grammy candidacy of “Not Like Us.” The track final obtained 5 nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards.

The lawsuit outlines conventional promotional techniques for successful track, akin to advertising and marketing and licensing, but in addition accuses UMG of “[conspiring] with and [paying] at the moment unknown events to make use of ‘bots’ to artificially inflate the unfold of the Recording on Spotify.” As well as, the attorneys allege that “UMG additionally provided monetary incentives, together with direct funds and lowered licensing charges, to numerous third events to advertise the Recording.”

Drake, in accordance with his attorneys, “confronted UMG about its function in selling allegations of sexual misconduct missing ‘the slightest factual foundation’ in opposition to him,” however the label allegedly “refused to do something to assist.” The rapper additionally says that he “tried to handle these claims privately with UMG,” however the label apparently “responded that Drake would face humiliation if he introduced authorized motion.”

Additional, Drake says he took it upon himself to disclaim Lamar’s “Not Like Us” claims by way of his response track “The Coronary heart Half 6.” Within the observe, “Drake defined that he has ‘by no means been with nobody underage’ and that his title will not be on the ‘intercourse offender checklist,’” the lawsuit notes.

A separate motion, in Bexar County, Texas, in opposition to Common Music Group and iHeartRadio stays pending. That contained two separate claims: that UMG ought to have blocked the track’s launch, on the idea that it “falsely [accused] him of being a intercourse offender, participating in pedophilic acts, harboring intercourse offenders, and committing different prison sexual acts”; and that UMG funneled funds to iHeartRadio in a pay-to-play promotional scheme that violates the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Drake and Kendrick’s Beef Is the Most Depressing Spectacle in Rap Historical past

This text was initially revealed on Wednesday, January 15, at 9:38 a.m. Jap Customary Time. It was final up to date on January 15 at 11:22 a.m. Jap Customary Time.