The legal team of Drake tackled Universal Music Group (UMG) ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the 2025 Super Bowl.
As the legal battle over Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us—which targets Drake—continues, Drake’s lawyers issued a statement before Lamar took the stage on Sunday, February 9, 2025, in New Orleans. They expressed frustration over UMG’s handling of the dispute involving both artists, who are signed to the label.
The legal team argued that UMG’s actions surrounding the song’s release and promotion were unethical and that the track portrays Drake in a defamatory manner. They accused the label of prioritizing financial gain over artistic integrity and ethical responsibility.
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“UMG is masquerading as a champion of artistic freedom by calling its actions merely ‘entertainment,’ but there is nothing entertaining about pedophilia or child abuse in the real world,” the statement read. “We are confident that the evidence we will ultimately present at trial, including information we’ve already learned and continue to receive since filing the lawsuit, will expose UMG’s gross prioritization of its own corporate profits and executive bonuses over its exclusively signed artists’ well-being and the truth.”
The statement was first shared by New York Times music reporter Joe Coscarelli on X.
new statement from Drake’s legal team ahead of the Super Bowl halftime show, where Kendrick Lamar could reach ~100 million people at once with “Not Like Us”
— Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) February 9, 2025
Drake has sued (his and Kendrick’s label) Universal Music Group, calling their promotion of the song defamatory pic.twitter.com/eXEXpIbMsi
In response to the lawsuit earlier, UMG filed a 144-page motion on Thursday, January 23, 2025, citing the Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), a law designed to prevent retaliatory lawsuits that attempt to silence individuals or entities on matters of public concern. UMG argued that Drake’s lawsuit, filed under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 202, is an effort to intimidate and penalize the company for exercising its First Amendment rights.
According to UMG’s motion, Drake now carries the burden of proof under the TCPA and must provide compelling evidence to support his claims. A key allegation in Drake’s lawsuit is that UMG engaged in a “pay-to-play scheme” by allegedly funneling payments to iHeartMedia—the nation’s largest radio network—to boost Not Like Us.
However, UMG asserts that Drake has failed to provide credible evidence for his accusations. The motion claims his petition relies on unverified allegations and inadmissible hearsay, particularly from unnamed sources.
In conclusion, UMG has requested the court to dismiss Drake’s lawsuit, suspend all discovery until a ruling is made, and order Drake to cover the company’s legal fees and court costs.
READ ALSO: Drake sues Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar diss track “Not Like Us”
