Drake sues longtime label UMG for defamation over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'

Drake sued his longtime label on Wednesday, accusing Universal Music Group of defamation for promoting Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," saying the song's false accusation that the Canadian rapper is a pedophile has put him and his family in danger.

In a complaint in Manhattan federal court, Drake said the song was "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile" and the public should exert "vigilante justice" in response.

Drake said it led to attempted break-ins at his home, prompting him to travel with extra security and pull his seven-year-old son from his Toronto elementary school and the Toronto area.

He and Lamar, an American rapper who won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, have feuded for about a decade. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for defamation and harassment.

"UMG may spin this complaint as a rap beef gone legal, but this lawsuit is not about a war of words between artists," according to the complaint from Drake, whose name is Aubrey Drake Graham.

"Notwithstanding a relationship spanning more than a decade, UMG intentionally sought to turn Drake into a pariah, a target for harassment, or worse," the complaint added. "UMG chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists."

In a statement, UMG said it had not defamed anyone, called Drake's claims untrue, and said it would be illogical to harm his reputation after investing massively to make him commercially and financially successful.

UMG also accused Drake of " weaponizing" the legal process in seeking damages and trying to silence Lamar's creative expression for "having done nothing more than write a song."

Lamar is not a defendant, though Drake called "Not Like Us" defamatory. Drake's lawyers had no additional comment.

(FILES) In this photo taken on June 11, 2023, US rapper Kendrick Lamar performs during the 2023 Governors Ball Music Festival at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City. Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar surprised fans on November 22, 2024, with the unannounced release of a 12-track album. Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP

Competing 'Diss' Tracks

Wednesday's lawsuit followed a November petition in a New York state court in which Drake, through his company Frozen Moments, accused UMG and Spotify of using payola and streaming bots to promote "Not Like Us" at his music's expense.

Drake withdrew that petition on Tuesday night. Online records show that his related case against UMG and radio company iHeartMedia remains pending in a Texas state court.

The feud between Drake and Lamar has played out partly through so-called "diss" tracks, including "Not Like Us."

(FILE) Drake Makes Historic Debut at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 With 'Toosie Slide'. He becomes the first male act with three No. 1 arrivals, scoring his seventh total topper. LOS ANGELES, CA, USA - FEBRUARY 10: Rapper Drake, wearing Saint Laurent, arrives at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on February 10, 2013, in Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/NurPhoto

In that song, released last May 4, Lamar mentioned Drake by name, saying, "Drake, I hear you like 'em young," and calling him and others "certified pedophiles."

A day earlier, Drake released "Family Matters," appearing to accuse Lamar of physical abuse and infidelity and questioning whether Lamar's business partner fathered one of his children.

"Not Like Us" topped Billboard's Hot 100 for two weeks last year. It received five nominations for the February 2 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.