Drake is intensifying his legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track Not Like Us, seeking the court’s order to release unredacted copies of Lamar’s contract and records related to allegations of domestic violence.
In his defamation lawsuit, the Toronto rapper — whose real name is Aubrey Graham — accuses UMG of spreading false claims that he is a pedophile to damage his reputation during contract negotiations. He alleges the company made secret payments and offered discounted licensing rates to promote Lamar’s track, which followed their high-profile rap feud.
Drake’s legal team says UMG’s 22-page contract with Lamar was provided with heavy redactions, making it “virtually unreadable.” He is also requesting documents detailing Interscope’s monthly revenues, profits, and the valuation of Lamar’s music catalogue over the past five-and-a-half years, claiming they are key to proving UMG’s financial motive.
The rapper further seeks communications from UMG CEO Lucian Grainge, whom he suspects encouraged competition between the label’s divisions and played a central role in promoting Not Like Us. Among the requests are records related to alleged domestic violence and other crimes involving Lamar, which Drake referenced in his diss track Family Matters.
The feud began after Drake’s 2023 collaboration with J. Cole, First Person Shooter, labeled the pair and Lamar as the “big three.” Lamar disputed the title in Like That, sparking a series of increasingly personal diss tracks.
UMG maintains that Grainge had “no meaningful involvement” in the decisions at issue, while discovery in the case remains ongoing.
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