Drake has escalated his legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG), filing a second pre-action petition accusing the record label of defamation and unethical practices in promoting Kendrick Lamar’s hit track Not Like Us.
The song, released earlier this year during a heated feud between the two rappers, includes lyrics Drake claims falsely portray him as a “certified paedophile” and a “predator.”
According to legal documents filed in Texas, Drake alleges Universal knowingly released the song, prioritizing its potential to generate “massive revenues” over addressing the damaging allegations.
Drake’s lawyers argue that Universal “executed a plan” to make the song a “viral mega-hit” while using its controversial content to fuel consumer interest.
The star also claims Universal deliberately neglected to halt the song’s release despite its defamatory nature.
The petition comes one day after Drake filed papers in New York accusing Universal of manipulating Spotify algorithms to boost the track’s visibility.
Universal has denied the accusations, calling them “offensive and untrue.”
The company stated, “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments… can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
The Texas filing also names iHeartRadio, the radio giant operating over 850 stations across the U.S., as part of the alleged scheme.
Drake’s legal team, citing a whistleblower, claims Universal made “covert payments” to iHeart as part of a “pay-to-play scheme” to promote the song, which was reportedly broadcast over 25 million times on iHeart stations in the months following its release.
While unable to confirm the payments, Drake’s lawyers argue iHeart was the “most likely recipient.”
If approved, the petition would require Universal and iHeartRadio to preserve documents and provide evidence related to the allegations ahead of possible lawsuits. The BBC has reached out to iHeartRadio for comment.
Drake also accuses Universal of using “bots” to inflate Lamar’s streaming numbers and paying influencers to promote Not Like Us, accusations the label has categorically denied.
The dispute sheds light on deeper tensions between Drake and Universal, a label he has worked with throughout his career via a licensing deal with its subsidiary Republic Records.
Legal filings claim Universal not only ignored the defamatory nature of Lamar’s song but also actively monetized it.
The track, described as a decisive blow in the long-running feud, debuted at number one on the U.S. charts and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year.
Drake responded to the song with The Heart Part 6, denying the allegations and claiming to have misled Lamar with false information through a double agent. However, he later deleted the track from his Instagram feed.
Lamar, who works with Universal’s Interscope imprint under a similar licensing agreement, has not commented publicly on the dispute.
Source-BBC
