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Drake files lawsuit against Universal Music Group
Drake filed a lawsuit Tuesday against his and Kendrick Lamar’s record label Universal Music Group, claiming Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” defamed Drake by calling him a “certified pedophile”—a major escalation of the months-long feud between the two rappers.
Legal battles between the artists
On Nov. 26, 2024, Drake’s lawyers filed a second petition against Universal Music Group, alleging the label paid iHeartRadio to boost airplay of Lamar’s “Not Like Us” despite knowing it contained false allegations about Drake, including the pedophile accusation.
On Nov. 25, 2024, Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC filed a petition in New York court, alleging UMG inflated Spotify streams of Lamar’s track using bots and reduced licensing rates.
Music releases and responses
On Nov. 22, 2024, Lamar released the surprise album “GNX,” with subtle references to the Drake feud in certain tracks.
On Nov. 8, 2024, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” earned five Grammy nominations, including Record and Song of the Year, while Drake did not receive any nods.
Escalation of the feud
On July 4, 2024, Lamar released a music video for “Not Like Us,” containing digs at Drake, with fans interpreting some scenes as refuting Drake’s allegations against Lamar.
On June 19, 2024, Lamar performed his Drake diss tracks for the first time at his concert, joined onstage by various celebrities.
On June 5, 2024, Fans noticed Drake’s posts referencing the beef had been deleted, hinting at a potential truce.
Roots of the feud
The feud between Drake and Lamar dates back over a decade, with subtle shots exchanged in their music over the years.
Drake, Lamar, and other artists involved in the feud have found recent success on the charts, possibly benefiting from the publicity of the ongoing beef.
