UMG Claims Drake ‘Lost’ Rap Battle to Kendrick Lamar in Legal Motion: “He Sued His Own Label in a Misguided Effort to Heal His Wounds”

UMG Lawsuit Filed Against Drake

Universal Music Group (UMG) has initiated a lawsuit countering Drake’s claims regarding the “Not Like Us” incident involving Kendrick Lamar.

Background of the Dispute

In November of last year, the “Bling Hot Line” artist filed against UMG in New York, alleging that the label and publisher had “artificially inflated” streams for “Not Like Us,” among other accusations.

In the submitted presentation – which can be seen here – Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC claimed that UMG and Spotify provided “illegal” assistance and boosted the streams of “Not Like Us” to favor Lamar, who saw viral success with Drake last year.

Now, as reported by Variety, UMG has filed a motion to dismiss the Canadian rapper’s claim, asserting that he is resorting to a lawsuit to “save his wounds” after purportedly “losing the rap battle.”

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Drake also argued that he had “lost the rap bit that he provocatively engaged in.”

UMG cited a 2022 application in their response, highlighting that Drake, along with a number of other musicians, requested prosecutors refrain from using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases. “Now Drake was correct,” they said.

The corporation further claimed that the “Views” rapper failed to substantiate a defamation claim in his lawsuit. They emphasized that it would represent a double standard to promote his track while not supporting Lamar’s. They argued that Lamar’s hit “conveys a non-existent opinion and rhetorical hyperbole, not a fact,” stating that they cannot be accused of malicious intent.

UMG also maintained that there are no grounds for Drake’s lawsuit, asserting that he could not declare a “second-degree pursuit” under New York’s general business legislation.

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Michael J. Gotlib, Drake’s attorney, released a statement asserting: “UMG is attempting to mislead its shareholders, artists, and the public by focusing on rap, obscuring the crucial fact: the greedy corporation now faces severe repercussions due to dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in violence.”

“This motion is merely a desperate maneuver by UMG to evade accountability, but we are confident that this case will persist and continue to shine a light on UMG’s long-standing history of danger, abuse, and exploitation of our artists” (As cited from Variety).

Moreover, Drake recently settled his Payola dispute with iHeartMedia regarding the promotion of “Not Like Us.”