Drake Sues His Label, Umg, Saying ‘not Like Us’ Is Defamatory

Drake’s ongoing ineligible conflict pinch his label, Universal Music Group, has escalated. The creator revenge a suit successful nationalist tribunal today, accusing UMG of harming his estimation and endangering him for profit. The suit stems from nan diss measurement “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, different UMG artist. Drake’s ineligible title too again accuses UMG of utilizing bots connected Spotify and different streaming platforms, and payola to make nan opus overmuch popular.

“On May 4, 2024, UMG approved, published, and launched a tally to create a viral deed retired of a rap measurement that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for convulsive retribution against him,” nan title reads. “Even though UMG enriched itself and its shareholders by exploiting Drake’s euphony for years, and knew that nan salacious allegations against Drake were false, UMG chose patient greed complete nan accusation and well-being of its artists.”

The suit specifications a shooting astatine Drake’s (real name: Aubrey Graham) location conscionable a less days aft nan opus was released, during which a accusation defender was injured. Multiple break-ins occurred successful nan pursuing days, which nan suit says were caused by UMG’s actions.

Why would UMG pit 2 of its ain artists against each other? Drake’s squad has a theory:

UMG’s actions are motivated, astatine slightest successful part, by UMG’s desire to champion position itself successful negotiations pinch Kendrick Lamar successful 2024 and Drake successful 2025. With respect to Lamar, connected accusation and belief, UMG was incentivized to beryllium that it could maximize Lamar’s sales—by immoderate intends necessary—after only being tin to get him to mobility a short-term exclusive contract. UMG wanted Lamar to spot its worthy connected an expedited timeframe successful bid to personification Lamar to resign exclusively and for a longer play of time. As to Drake, successful 2024, his connection was nearing fulfillment. On accusation and belief, UMG anticipated that extending Drake’s connection would recreation astatine a precocious costs to UMG; arsenic such, it was incentivized to devalue Drake’s euphony and marque successful bid to summation leverage successful negotiations for an extension

Lamar is not named arsenic a fishy successful nan suit; instead, Drake’s ineligible squad pins nan blasted connected UMG for releasing nan opus contempt knowing nan song’s “allegations are unequivocally false.”

“Drake is not a pedophile. Drake has ne'er engaged successful immoderate acts that would require he beryllium “placed connected vicinity watch.” Drake has ne'er engaged successful intersexual relations pinch a minor. Drake has ne'er been charged with, aliases convicted of, immoderate criminal acts whatsoever,” nan suit reads.

The suit follows a petition revenge successful November successful which Drake accuses UMG and Spotify of artificially inflating nan occurrence of “Not Like Us” utilizing payola and streaming bots. The petition — which itself isn’t a suit but a precursor — was withdrawn this week. But nan suit revenge coming includes akin allegations of “pay-for-play” schemes to get “Not Like Us” played connected powerfulness stations and promoted connected streaming platforms. The suit too again accuses UMG of utilizing bots to “artificially inflate nan spread” of nan song. It cites a “whistleblower” who claimed he was paid $2,500 complete Zelle “via 3rd parties to usage ‘bots’ to execute 30,000,000 streams connected Spotify successful nan first days pursuing nan Recording’s release.”

As The New York Times notes, Drake has enlisted Michael J. Gottlieb, nan lawyer that represented nan proprietor of nan edifice embroiled successful nan “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory. Drake’s title draws parallels betwixt nan shooting astatine nan artist’s location and nan shooting astatine nan restaurant, calling it “the 2024 balanced of ‘Pizzagate.’”

“The online consequence was likewise convulsive and hateful. An avalanche of online dislike reside has branded Drake arsenic a activity offender and pedophile, among different epithets,” nan title reads.

UMG did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.