Drake Points to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Censorship as Evidence Supporting His Perspective in the Trial

Drake’s Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group

Drake has modified his lawsuit against Universal Music Group, highlighting Kendrick Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us” during a Super Bowl event.

Claims of Stream Manipulation

This lawsuit follows the hotline hitmaker’s filing of a dispute in New York against Universal, where he alleges that the publisher and label were responsible for “artificially inflated” streams for Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” among other claims.

The diss track was released in May of last year during the highly publicized rivalry between Drake and Lamar. It generated significant fan discussions, particularly because Lamar accused Drake of being a “certified pedophile,” a claim Drake firmly denies.

In the initial filing – which can be seen here – Drazen Moments LLC accused UMG and Spotify of “illegal” assistance in boosting streams for “Not Like Us” in favor of Lamar. The filing further claimed that “UMG deliberately sought to turn Drake into a pariah, pursuing him for worse” and that this was not due to believing any of the false statements to be true, but for the benefits to be gained from harming Drake’s reputation (as reported by Hollywood Reporter).

In response, UMG filed a motion to dismiss the Canadian rapper’s lawsuit, claiming he was simply suing the corporation because he “had lost the rap battle.” They further stated that “instead of accepting defeat like an artist, as he often claims, Drake opted to sue his own label in a misguided attempt to salvage his wounded pride.”

Developments in the Defamation Case

Recent reports from Tr and Rolling Stone indicate that the Canadian rapper has submitted a corrected complaint in his defamation case, highlighting Kendrick Lamar’s significant performance at the Super Bowl earlier this year.

During the well-known concert, Lamar delivered a 13-minute set featuring guest appearances from SZA, Serena Williams, and Samuel L. Jackson. He included elements of the disputed track, which quickly went viral and has been described as one of the most acclaimed performances in Super Bowl history.

According to Drake’s updated filing, his team asserts that Lamar’s show in February “damaged” Drake’s reputation and presented “millions” with the false impression that he was a pedophile. The amended complaint emphasizes that while Lamar omitted the word “pedophile” during his Super Bowl performance, he retained lines such as “Tell me, Drake, I heard you love them young,” asserting that this adaptation serves as evidence of slander.

“There were no other modifications. If Kendrick Lamar was allowed to perform at the Super Bowl and the term “pedophile” was removed from the lyrics, it would suggest the seriousness of the defamation,” the filing claims.

The performance ultimately attracted a record-breaking global audience of 133 million, further implying that the disputed track reached “millions who had never heard it before.”

“This was the first, and I hope it will be the last instance during the Super Bowl where one artist’s character is attacked,” the complaint concluded.

UMG once again denied the allegations and filed motions to dismiss the claims. On April 16, the company released a statement describing Drake’s claims as “unreasonable” and stated that the ramifications could stifle artistic expression (according to Tr).

This song remains regarded as one of the most prominent diss tracks, breaking multiple streaming records and solidifying Kendrick Lamar’s position in the music industry.