Roommates, it looks like Drake is taking out his Kendrick Lamar beef on Universal Music Group. Drizzy has filed two petitions against the record label based on allegations that it boosted the visibility of K. Dot’s diss track ‘Not Like Us.’
The song has given Kenny a year to remember. It debuted at number one on the Hot Billboard 100, earned him five Grammy nominations, and set the tone for his upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include Drake’s second petition against UMG, which he filed on Nov. 26. Keep reading for updates.
Drake Is Suing Universal For THESE Reasons
On Monday, Drake gagged social media when he took his and Lamar’s beef from the booth to the courthouse. To be clear, the Toronto rapper isn’t suing Kendrick or any other entities YET. The petition focuses on whether Universal conspired against Drake by using “a payola scheme” and bots to boost ‘Not Like Us,’ per TMZ. He’s reportedly seeking to collect more facts to potentially prepare one or more lawsuits.
Drake reportedly had an “inside source” at Universal who told him that the record label paid multiple platforms to hype and play the diss track. Those platforms allegedly include radio stations with the iHeartRadio network. If true, that would mean UMG violated the FCC regulation against payola.
What evidence does Drizzy have? Well, it appears that he’s questioning how quickly the track became a hit. And he alleges that the record label has done this before. Drake’s petition cites a $12 million payout Universal made in 2006 to the New York Attorney General’s Office. The settlement was for a “pay for play” set-up. The rapper’s inside source also claims UMG used bots to boost the song’s Spotify streams in May 2024.
Per the petition, UMG also relied on paid influencer reviews of ‘Not Like Us.’ Additionally, Drake claims the label eased up all of its copyright restrictions so social media users could freely share and use the song.
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On Monday, TMZ reported that Drake was keeping defamation in his back pocket. Namely, Kendrick Lamar popularized the idea of him being a “certified pedophile” with ‘Not Like Us.’ Well, on Tuesday, Drake followed through and filed a second petition against Universal—this time in Texas. According to Variety, he’s accused the label of knowing ‘Not Like Us’ “falsely” accused him of being a pedo but continued to distribute the track.
The second petition suggests UMG could’ve “refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed.” Instead, Drizzy says his distributor did the complete 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 suit reportedly states.
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What Is Drizzy Seeking From Both Lawsuits?
According to the petition documents, Drake wants the tea on the role Universal allegedly played in the success of ‘Not Like Us.’
Variety explains that both petitions are NOT yet lawsuits. Instead, they’re pre-action filings. The rapper’s legal team is hoping to secure depositions from key leaders at UMG and Spotify to build a stronger case.
Drake reportedly wants to know how iHeartRadio received payments so he can then file a civil fraud and racketeering case against UMG and any other entities involved. Ironically enough, UMG distributes both Drake and Kendrick’s music.
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Universal Reacts To Drake's 'Not Like Us' Lawsuit
It looks like Universal isn’t letting Drake’s allegations slide that easily. A spokesperson for the record label denied the first petition’s claims to TMZ on Monday.
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear,” the spokesperson’s statement said.
In another statement to Variety, UMG added, “No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
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Kendrick Lamar's Former Mentor & Mustard Seemingly React To Drake's Lawsuit
Kendrick Lamar hasn’t reacted to Drake’s petition against Universal Music Group. However, his close affiliates, including TDE Punch and DJ Mustard, put their Twitter fingers to work on Monday (Nov. 26). Kenny was formerly signed to Punch’s Top Dawg Entertainment from 2005 until 2022.
“Naaaaahhhh. The rap streets is done. SMH,” Punch wrote on X. Mustard replied, “Omg lmfaooooooooo.”
