Drake files second legal dispute against UMG alleging defamation over ‘Not Like Us’ lyrics

Drake has filed a second legal dispute against Universal Music Group (UMG), this time for defamation among other allegations surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’. 

• READ MORE: Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s feud: the full timeline 

Yesterday (November 26), it was reported that Drake had filed a dispute against Universal Music Group in New York, alleging that the publisher and label had “artificially inflated” streams for ‘Not Like Us’ among other allegations.

Now, it has been revealed that the Canadian rapper has filed a second legal action against UMG in Texas for alleged defamation. It is important to note that both actions are not lawsuits, but rather “pre-action filings” to obtain information that Drake can use should he decide to file a formal lawsuit in the future.

According to the new filing in Texas – which can be viewed here – Drake, through lawyers claims that the song has damaged his reputation by “falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders, and committing other criminal sexual acts.”

This is referenced on ‘Not Like Us’ through the lyrics “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophile” and “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor”. Drake previously denied these allegations in his own follow-up song ‘The Heart Part 6’.

Besides the claims that Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics are defamatory, Drake has also alleged that UMG “knew that the song itself, as well as its accompanying album art and music video, attacked the character of another one of UMG’s most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender…”.

The filing goes on to add: “UMG has exclusive control over the licensing of ‘Not Like Us’ and could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed. But UMG chose to do the opposite. UMG designed, financed, and then executed a plan to turn ‘Not Like Us’ into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues. That plan succeeded, likely beyond UMG’s wildest expectations.”

The Texas filing also alleges that UMG has “funnelled payments to iHeartRadio and its radio stations as part of a pay-to-play scheme.”

Like in the New York filing, Drake is not seeking damages, but rather for UMG to declare the “identities and practices of any direct participants in a pay-to-play scheme, including any intermediaries who may have been involved” via an “oral deposition of UMG”.

UMG and Kendrick Lamar have yet to respond to the latest filing. NME has reached out to UMG and Lamar for comment, as well as Drake for further comment.

It is also worth noting that both Drake and Kendrick Lamar are not directly signed to UMG. Lamar is signed to pgLang, which licenses his music to UMG’s Interscope, while Drake – who is signed to his own label OVO – licenses his music to UMG’s Republic for marketing and distribution.

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