Drake has initiated another legal action linked to Kendrick Lamar's hit track "Not Like Us," claiming defamation and unethical practices by Universal Music amidst their ongoing feud.
Drake Launches Second Legal Battle Over Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"
Drake Launches Second Legal Battle Over Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"
Drake's legal maneuvering against Universal Music escalates with fresh accusations of defamation and unethical promotion.
Drake's ongoing legal skirmish against Universal Music has intensified as he has filed a second set of documents regarding Kendrick Lamar's controversial song "Not Like Us." In recent filings, Drake's lawyers allege that the record label is culpable of defamation for releasing lyrics in the track that accuse him of being a sex offender. The rapper contends that instead of curbing the song's distribution, Universal pursued a strategy to maximize its commercial success, cashing in from the controversy surrounding the feud.
This week marked a notable development as Drake followed up a prior filing in New York with a new "pre-action petition" in Texas. The request seeks that the courts compel Universal to retain any documentation associated with his allegations before he potentially escalates to a formal lawsuit. This petition also involves iHeartRadio, with Drake's attorneys asserting that "Not Like Us" garnered over 25 million plays on their stations following its release. The filings allude to possible under-the-table payments from Universal to iHeartRadio as part of a manipulative promotion scheme, although confirmation of these accusations has proven elusive.
In previous statements, Universal has staunchly denied the allegations, characterizing them as "offensive and untrue," and insisting that their marketing practices align with ethical standards. Furthermore, similar to his first filing, Drake claims that Universal employed bots to falsely amplify streaming figures for Lamar's song—claims that Universal has also dismissed.
The feud between the two iconic hip-hop artists, which has been a subject of public interest since it began in the early 2010s, arguably reached its apex with the release of "Not Like Us," which debuted atop the US charts and racked up Grammy nominations, including song of the year. Following the song’s release, Drake issued a track titled "The Heart Part 6," where he refuted Lamar's statements and suggested disinformation was exchanged between them, yet he later removed the track from social media.
Both artists operate under similar arrangements, with each releasing music independently but partnering with Universal for distribution. As the situation unfolds, ongoing legal battles may redefine the future landscape of their rivalry and the music industry’s promotional practices at large.
This week marked a notable development as Drake followed up a prior filing in New York with a new "pre-action petition" in Texas. The request seeks that the courts compel Universal to retain any documentation associated with his allegations before he potentially escalates to a formal lawsuit. This petition also involves iHeartRadio, with Drake's attorneys asserting that "Not Like Us" garnered over 25 million plays on their stations following its release. The filings allude to possible under-the-table payments from Universal to iHeartRadio as part of a manipulative promotion scheme, although confirmation of these accusations has proven elusive.
In previous statements, Universal has staunchly denied the allegations, characterizing them as "offensive and untrue," and insisting that their marketing practices align with ethical standards. Furthermore, similar to his first filing, Drake claims that Universal employed bots to falsely amplify streaming figures for Lamar's song—claims that Universal has also dismissed.
The feud between the two iconic hip-hop artists, which has been a subject of public interest since it began in the early 2010s, arguably reached its apex with the release of "Not Like Us," which debuted atop the US charts and racked up Grammy nominations, including song of the year. Following the song’s release, Drake issued a track titled "The Heart Part 6," where he refuted Lamar's statements and suggested disinformation was exchanged between them, yet he later removed the track from social media.
Both artists operate under similar arrangements, with each releasing music independently but partnering with Universal for distribution. As the situation unfolds, ongoing legal battles may redefine the future landscape of their rivalry and the music industry’s promotional practices at large.
