- Drake escalated his legal battle with Universal Music Group. He filed an amended complaint accusing the label of amplifying defamatory claims during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance.
- UMG dismissed the lawsuit as meritless and attempted to delay discovery, but a judge granted Drake’s team access to internal documents.
- Drake’s attorney claimed the discovery would expose evidence of UMG’s alleged misconduct, while UMG denied the accusations.
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Drake’s legal battle with his record label escalated after he filed an amended complaint on Wednesday, April 16. The rapper accused Universal Music Group of amplifying defamatory claims through Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance in February.
Complaint expands beyond music
The amended complaint was built on Drake’s original defamation lawsuit. Drake’s legal team previously accused UMG of promoting and artificially boosting Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
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Drake argued the label’s support intensified public perception that he is a pedophile. The complaint claimed UMG’s backing of the track during major events like the Super Bowl and the Grammys helped spread the narrative.
Super Bowl censorship at the center of complaint
According to the complaint, the word “pedophile” was censored during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. However, Drake’s legal team stated the message was still clear to viewers.
Lawyers for the rapper argued censoring the lyric highlighted UMG’s awareness of its defamatory nature.
Drake’s lawyers said UMG orchestrated the “massive amplification” of defamatory allegations.
They estimated over 133 million viewers watched the Super Bowl halftime show, making it the most watched broadcast of all time. Another 15 million tuned in to the Grammys, according to Variety.
In a statement to Straight Arrow News, Drake’s lead attorney, Michael Gottlieb, said:
“Drake’s amended complaint makes an already strong case stronger. UMG’s PR ‘spin’ and failed efforts to avoid discovery cannot suppress the facts and the truth. With discovery now moving forward, Drake will expose the evidence of UMG’s misconduct and UMG will be held accountable for the consequences of its ill-conceived decisions.”
Drake’s lead attorney Michael Gottlieb
In a statement to Reuters on Thursday, April 17, Universal Music Group said Drake’s accusations are baseless.
“Drake, unquestionably one of the world’s most accomplished artists and with whom we’ve enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another,” UMG said in the statement.
UMG in March sought to dismiss the lawsuit. In their filing, the label stated:
“Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff’s complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
Universal Music Group
The label blamed Drake for the fallout of the rap battle with Lamar.
Discovery process moves forward
UMG attempted to delay discovery in the lawsuit, which would give Drake’s legal team access to internal documents. However, on April 2, a New York judge granted Drake’s request to begin the discovery process.
“Now, it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide,” Gottlieb said in response to the ruling.
