Drake Files Second Legal Challenge Against UMG Over Defamatory 'Not Like Us' Release

Drake Files Second Legal Challenge Against UMG Over Defamatory 'Not Like Us' Release

By Marcus Bennett

November 27, 2024 at 05:01 AM

Drake has filed a second legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and iHeartRadio over Kendrick Lamar's track "Not Like Us," expanding his initial New York filing with additional claims in Texas court.

The new petition alleges UMG orchestrated a "pay-to-play scheme" with iHeartRadio to promote the song, which Drake claims contains defamatory content. Drake's legal team asserts that UMG knowingly released material that falsely accused him of serious misconduct.

Drake with shaved head

Drake with shaved head

Both filings are "pre-action" petitions seeking depositions from key figures at UMG and iHeartRadio, rather than formal lawsuits. Drake's attorneys state they have sufficient evidence for a defamation claim but may pursue additional charges of civil fraud and racketeering based on discovery findings.

The legal documents state: "UMG could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed. But UMG chose to do the opposite." Drake's team argues that UMG deliberately promoted the track to generate "massive revenues" despite its potentially harmful content.

Drake signature legal document

Drake signature legal document

This legal action marks a significant deterioration in Drake's relationship with Universal Music, his career-long label. Neither UMG nor iHeartRadio has responded to comment requests, and Kendrick Lamar, though central to the controversy, faces no direct legal accusations.

The situation has gained additional attention from fans who view Drake's legal admission of harm from "Not Like Us" as a decisive moment in the ongoing musical feud between the two artists.

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