Universal Music Group seeks dismissal of Drake's defamation lawsuit

In early 2025, Universal Music Group filed a motion to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought against them by Canadian rapper Drake, following the release of Kendrick Lamar's song 'Not Like Us.' The lawsuit emerged after Drake accused UMG of spreading a false narrative that he is a pedophile, referring to lyrics in Lamar's track. Drake alleges that UMG is aware of these false claims but prioritizes corporate greed over the safety of its artists. UMG labeled Drake's lawsuit as a misguided attempt to deal with the fallout of a rap battle he lost to Lamar, claiming the case ignores the genre's conventions and the context of their feud. They pointed out that both artists had engaged in a public exchange of harsh diss tracks earlier in 2024, a period during which Drake encouraged the competition and even provoked Lamar for responses. The fallout of the rap battle, which concluded with multiple commentators declaring Lamar the winner, likely contributed to Drake's allegations against the label. UMG further claimed that Drake has benefited from the label's platform to promote his own diss tracks aimed at Lamar. Despite UMG's arguments, Drake's lawyer criticized their motion as a desperate attempt to avoid accountability for what he described as dangerous misinformation that resulted in violence. A separate legal issue had occurred earlier when Drake settled a lawsuit against iHeartMedia over illegal payments related to airplay for 'Not Like Us.' As a prominent artist, Drake continues to battle both legal challenges and public perception influenced by the deteriorating relationship with his record label.