UMG Fires Back at Drake’s Lawsuit, Calls It ‘Baseless’ Attempt to Save Face

Universal Music Group (UMG) has filed a forceful motion to dismiss rapper Drake’s lawsuit in New York, where he accused the label of defamation and harassment over its promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track, “Not Like Us.”

In its filing, UMG dismissed the lawsuit as a desperate attempt by Drake to recover from a rap battle he started and lost, stating that he “provoked and willingly participated” in the feud, only to sue his own label “in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds” rather than accept defeat like the “unbothered rap artist” he claims to be. UMG insists the lawsuit is without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice, barring Drake from refiling.

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, filed the 81-page federal lawsuit on January 15, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. His suit claims that UMG—distributor for both Drake (via Republic Records) and Lamar (via Interscope Records)—knowingly promoted “Not Like Us” despite its “false and malicious” claims that Drake is a pedophile, accusations he vehemently denies.

The lawsuit highlights specific lyrics, including “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles” and “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young,’” as well as the song’s cover art, which features an aerial view of Drake’s Toronto home marked with red pins, a symbol often associated with sex offender registries. According to Drake, UMG actively “approved, published, and launched a campaign” to turn the track into a viral hit, prioritizing “corporate greed over artist safety.”

Drake’s legal team argues that the song’s release led to real-world harm—including a May 2024 shooting outside Drake’s Toronto home that injured a security guard, followed by two attempted break-ins days later. The lawsuit contends that UMG’s promotion of the track incited “vigilante justice” against him and that the label exploited false allegations to devalue his brand ahead of a $400 million contract renegotiation, using the controversy to gain leverage in negotiations.

However, UMG is pushing back hard. The label argues that “Not Like Us” is protected artistic expression, emphasizing that rap battles thrive on “hyperbolic insults” rather than literal accusations. UMG also calls Drake’s claims hypocritical, pointing out that he used UMG’s platform to release multiple diss tracks against Lamar, including “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which accused Lamar of domestic abuse and paternity fraud.

UMG insists that fans—not the label—made “Not Like Us” a cultural phenomenon, citing its May 4, 2024, release, No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100, over a billion streams on Spotify, and five Grammy wins in February 2025, including Song and Record of the Year.

Drake’s legal team, led by Michael J. Gottlieb of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, stresses that the lawsuit targets UMG, not Lamar, accusing the label of weaponizing its vast resources to spread a “dangerous and inflammatory message” for profit. The complaint also references prior allegations—made in a November 2024 petition (later withdrawn)—that UMG artificially boosted the track’s streams through bots and payola deals with Spotify and iHeartMedia. However, these claims have been toned down in the current lawsuit after settlements and corporate denials.

UMG remains firm, calling Drake’s allegations “offensive and untrue” while asserting that it “upholds the highest ethical standards” in its business practices. With both sides digging in, the battle over “Not Like Us” is far from over—raising bigger questions about the blurred lines between artistic expression, corporate influence, and legal accountability in the music industry.