Drake’s Lawyers Assert That “Millions” Interpret Kendrick Lamar’s Lyrics as Calling Him a Pedophile

Drake’s Legal Challenge

Drake’s lawyers contend that “millions of people” interpret Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics as a direct accusation of pedophilia against him.

Claims Against Universal Music Group

Last November, the Bling Hot Line from Universal Music Group (UMG) in New York alleged that the publisher and label were “artificially inflating” streams for “not so,” among other claims.

In the presentation – which can be seen here – Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC accused UMG and Spotify of providing “illegal” support and artificially boosting flows for “not like us” to favor Lamar, who recently went viral in rap alongside Drake.

Recently, UMG sought the dismissal of the Canadian rapper’s lawsuit, asserting that he was suing the corporation due to his “lost REP-Betive.” They argued that “instead of accepting his loss as an unscrupulous rap artist, which he often claims,” Drake “sued his own label in a misguided attempt to salvage his wounds.”

UMG also referenced Drake’s 2022 petition in their filing, which highlighted that he, along with other musicians, urged officials to discontinue using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal proceedings. “Drake was right then and is now mistaken,” the application stated. “Unfounded complaints about UMG are merely an attempt by Drake to save face following his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”

Yesterday (March 20), Drake’s team responded to UMG’s central argument, asserting that most listeners do not interpret “outrageous insults,” which are common in diss tracks, as factual statements.

According to a report by Billboard, the rapper’s lawyers argue that the claim is “doomed to fail” as audiences took Lamar’s words seriously.

“UMG completely disregards the assertion that millions of people worldwide understood the slanderous material as a literal statement labeling the plaintiff as a pedophile,” his lawyers contended.

Furthermore, Lamar performed at the Super Bowl LIX in February, delivering the largest concert in music history. Featuring guest appearances from SZA, Serena Williams, and Samuel L. Jackson, it became known as the most iconic Super Bowl performance and included the controversial track.

This also sparked a new meme on social media, with many noting Kendrick Lamar’s amused reaction to the line “wrong”: “Tell me, Drake, I heard you love them young.”

The continuation from Drake’s lawyers states: “UMG also ignores (a statement of the lawsuit) that the statements under consideration (and the surrounding context) implied that the charges were based on unproven evidence, which the audience understood.”