Universal Music Group (UMG) is firing back at Drake and what it calls his “misguided” defamation lawsuit over the label’s promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
UMG filed a motion to dismiss the rapper’s lawsuit on Monday, March 17, in Manhattan federal court.
In the 32-page motion obtained by independent journalist Meghann Cuniff, the label said Drake “lost a rap battle that he provoked” and “willingly participated.”
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UMG distributes both Drake and Kendrick’s music.
In spring 2024, the two rappers released competing diss tracks, and Kendrick referred to Drake as a “certified pedophile” in his megahit “Not Like Us.”
In response, a furious Drake turned to the courts.
In its motion to dismiss Monday, UMG blasted the Canadian rapper for the way he handled the matter.
“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,” the label said in its motion.
In a statement to Variety, Drake’s attorney Michael J. Gottlieb said the label is trying to avoid “accountability.”
“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence,” Gottlieb said.
“This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering, abusing and taking advantage of its artists,” the attorney added.
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