Rapper Drake has reached a settlement with iHeartMedia in his ongoing legal battle concerning Kendrick Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us’.
In a legal petition filed last November in Bexar County, Texas, the 38-year-old rapper accused iHeartMedia of accepting illegal payments from Universal Music Group (UMG) to boost radio airplay for ‘Not Like Us’. Both Drake and Lamar are signed under UMG, the parent label at the center of the controversy.
The petition, a preliminary step toward a potential lawsuit, sought depositions from corporate representatives of iHeartMedia and UMG regarding the alleged pay-for-play scheme.
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However, according to court documents filed on Thursday, attorneys for Drake confirmed that the rapper and iHeartMedia had “reached an amicable resolution of the dispute.” No further details about the settlement were disclosed.
“We are pleased that both parties were able to reach a satisfactory resolution and have no further comment on the matter,” Drake’s legal team stated.
iHeartMedia also declined to comment on the settlement.
Meanwhile, Drake’s claims against UMG remain active, with a San Antonio court set to hear a motion from UMG’s attorneys to dismiss the case on Wednesday.
Drake has accused UMG of engaging in “irregular and inappropriate business practices” to manipulate airplay in favor of Not Like Us. The petition further alleges that UMG knowingly promoted a song, album artwork, and music video that falsely depicted him as a sex offender and linked him to other criminal sexual acts.
UMG has yet to comment on the latest developments.
READ ALSO: How Drake’s legal team tackled UMG ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance
In addition to this case, Drake filed a defamation lawsuit in January in federal court in New York City against UMG, arguing that Not Like Us contains false allegations of pedophilia. Notably, Kendrick Lamar himself is not named in the lawsuit.
The ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has become one of the most talked-about conflicts in hip-hop in recent years.
Separately, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating iHeartMedia over allegations that it pressures musicians into performing at its May country music festival in Austin for reduced pay in exchange for favorable radio airplay, according AP’s report.
In response, iHeartMedia denied any wrongdoing, stating, “We look forward to demonstrating to the Commission that performing at the iHeartCountry Festival—or declining to do so—has no impact on our stations’ airplay. We do not make any overt or covert agreements about airplay with artists performing at our events.”
