UPDATE: UMG has launched an announcement to disclaim the claims.

“Not solely are these claims unfaithful, however the notion that we’d search to hurt the repute of any artist—not to mention Drake—is illogical,” it begins. “Now we have invested massively in his music and our staff around the globe have labored tirelessly for a few years to assist him obtain historic industrial and private monetary success.”

The assertion says that the artist has “deliberately and efficiently used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to interact in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to precise his emotions about different artists” all through his profession, and that he now
“seeks to weaponize the authorized course of to silence an artist’s artistic expression and to hunt damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.”

“Now we have not and don’t interact in defamation—in opposition to any particular person,” it continues. “On the similar time, we are going to vigorously defend this litigation to guard our folks and our repute, in addition to any artist who would possibly instantly or not directly change into a frivolous litigation goal for having carried out nothing greater than write a music.”

Earlier story:

Drake has filed a federal defamation lawsuit in opposition to Common Music Group.

Within the lawsuit, Drake accuses UMG of selling a “false and malicious narrative” about him through the content material of the lyrics, single art work and music video for Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’. It additionally claims that the discharge and promotion of the music has resulted in “bodily menace to Drake’s security” in addition to “the bombardment of on-line harassment” and as such, “fears for the protection and safety of himself, his household and his buddies”.

In accordance with the criticism, filed in a New York court docket right this moment, “this lawsuit just isn’t concerning the artist who created Not Like Us. It’s as an alternative totally about UMG, the music firm that determined to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood weren’t solely false however harmful”.

“The recording cloaks cleverly harmful lyrics behind a catchy beat and alluring hook. Capitalizing on these attributes, UMG used each instrument at its disposal to make sure that the world would hear that Drake “like ’em younger,’” that lawsuit reads.

The doc additionally features a image of a flyer that was put up within the rapper’s neighborhood calling him a predator, cites quite a few TikTok and YouTube posts that disparage him due to the music, and asserts that the musician needed to withdraw his little one from faculty out of concern for his security.

This newest swimsuit follows information that the Canadian rap star withdrew a earlier submitting in opposition to UMG and streaming large Spotify, which accused the businesses of launching a marketing campaign that paid influencers, radio stations and others to advertise the music final summer season.

“UMG might spin this criticism as a rap beef gone authorized, however this lawsuit just isn’t a couple of disagreement between artists. This lawsuit includes no claims in opposition to Kendrick Lamar or another artist; as an alternative, it’s about UMG — the writer and unique rights holder of Lamar’s music, in addition to Drake’s — and its malicious choice to publish and promote” the monitor, the lawsuit reads.

“Not Like Us” has in fact change into a West Coast anthem, has been streamed multiple billion occasions worldwide (and counting) and is nominated for 5 awards heading into the 2025 Grammys subsequent month, together with Tune and Report of the Yr. It was additionally probably the most on-demand streamed music within the U.S. in 2024.

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ was probably the most on-demand streamed music of 2024 within the U.S. (Luminate year-end report) pic.twitter.com/WlyM3Ykrhg

— Navjosh (@Navjosh) January 15, 2025

Drake is suing UMG for an undisclosed quantity in damages.