As Kendrick Lamar embarks on his Grand National tour and Drake appears scorned on every stage he steps on during his tour with PARTYNEXTDOOR, it is clear that the battle isn’t over.
Plus, there’s that glaring lawsuit Drake filed against UMG that fans continue to analyze. Now, Drake’s legal team has filed two new motions against the record company, taking direct aim at CEO Sir Lucian Grainge and “Not Like Us,” which, we remind you, included cover art that depicted Drake’s Toronto mansion with sex offender markings.
“UMG is improperly shielding its CEO, Sir Lucian Grainge, from scrutiny in this litigation, despite his direct involvement in the publication and promotion of the defamatory recording, cover image, and video at issue,” the suit states.
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They argue that UMG can hold itself accountable since it altered the language of its filings, adjusting the level of Grainge’s involvement from “no involvement” to “no meaningful involvement.”
But the OVO boss’ legal team isn’t buying it, saying he’s actively involved because he was at the Grammys and was pretty hyped when Lamar took home several awards.
The suit reads, “Lucian Grainge is highly likely to have relevant documents about the Recording and the 2025 Grammy Awards, as he was recorded at the Grammy Awards celebrating Kendrick Lamar’s wins and high-fiving Lamar’s producer and mentor as the Recording played in the background.”
Drake also argues that the defamation against him is profitable for UMG because they own both—his label, Republic Records, and Lamar’s Interscope. They believe this also led to a significant payout for Interscope CEO John Janick, prompting a request to review his pay structure for the past five years, including his 2024 incentives, and Lamar’s catalogue valuation over the same period.
“These records will demonstrate the financial motives underlying UMG’s decision to promote the defamatory recording rather than suppress it,” the filing reads.
Plus, as with any court case, the lawyers are digging into past lyric censorship, as recent as his beef with Pusha T, proving they do have the power to intervene, whether it benefits the artist or to their detriment.
The lawyers continue, “Def Jam, a UMG label, intervened to remove certain verses from Pusha T’s “The Story of Adidon” that were perceived as damaging to other artists. This selective enforcement is probative of UMG’s intent and actual malice here.”
But it’s not just Lamar’s lyrics influencing the lawsuit; many of Drake’s claims are being added too, as he’s now formally inquiring about all allegations he’s made on “Family Matters,” like calling him a domestic abuser, and claiming that one of his kids is biologically Dave Free’s.
They’re asking for info “relating to allegations of domestic violence, violence against women, and/or other forms of violence committed by Kendrick Lamar Duckworth” and information about “David Isaac Friley (a/k/a Dave Free) and his relationship with Kendrick Lamar Duckworth and Kendrick Lamar Duckworth’s children.”
See how social media is reacting to the latest in the Drake vs UMG case below.
