The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar Beef: A Legal Dispute Involving UMG

The ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has taken a new turn, with Drake filing a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The song, released in 2024, contains lyrics that Drake claims are defamatory, including allegations of being a “certified pedophile.” Here’s a breakdown of the dispute and the history of the beef between the two artists.

History of the Beef

Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been involved in a long-standing feud, with both artists releasing diss tracks aimed at each other. The beef gained momentum in recent years, with Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” being the latest salvo. Drake has now responded with a lawsuit against UMG, claiming that the music group artificially inflated the success of “Not Like Us” and promoted the song’s defamatory lyrics.

The Lawsuit

Drake’s lawsuit targets several UMG executives, including CEO Lucian Grainge, accusing them of defamation and harassment. Grainge has denied any involvement in the creation or promotion of “Not Like Us,” stating that he “never heard the song before its release.” UMG has also pushed back against Drake’s claims, calling them “absurd” and “groundless.”

UMG’s Response

UMG’s lawyer, Rollin A. Ransom, argues that Drake’s theory is “absurd” and that Grainge, as CEO, doesn’t vet individual tracks or album covers. The music group also points out that Drake previously agreed not to seek Grainge’s documents and that his request is a “transparent attempt to harass UMG.”

Key Players Involved

• Drake: The Toronto rapper who filed the lawsuit against UMG
• Kendrick Lamar: The rapper who released the diss track “Not Like Us”
• Lucian Grainge: CEO of UMG who denies any involvement in the creation or promotion of “Not Like Us”
• UMG Executives: Several executives, including Ramon Alvarez Smikle, Jordan Bell, Steve Berman, and others, who are also targeted in Drake’s lawsuit

Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge has filed a sworn declaration pushing back against Drake’s attempts to force him to provide documents in the rapper’s defamation lawsuit. Grainge describes the artist’s claims in that suit as “farcical” and “groundless.”

In the declaration, filed on August 14 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and obtained by MBW, Grainge states that he “had never heard the recording ‘Not Like Us,’ nor ever saw the corresponding cover art or music video, until after they were released by Interscope Records.”

Adds Grainge: “Whilst, as part of my role, I certainly have financial oversight of and responsibility for UMG’s global businesses, the proposition that I was involved in, much less responsible for, reviewing and approving the content of ‘Not Like Us’, its cover art or music video, or for determining or directing the promotion of those materials, is groundless and indeed ridiculous.”

Beef Tracks

Some notable diss tracks in the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud include:

• Here’s a breakdown of the key tracks and events:
• “Push Ups”: Drake’s initial response to Kendrick’s “Like That” featuring J. Cole. 
• “Taylor Made Freestyle”: Drake’s unreleased track that was leaked online, also targeting Lamar. 
• “Euphoria”: Lamar’s first major diss track aimed at Drake. 
• “6:16 in LA”: Lamar’s second diss track, focusing on Drake’s OVO label. 
• “Family Matters”: Drake’s diss track, released around the same time as Lamar’s “6:16 in LA”. 
• “Meet the Grahams”: Lamar’s diss track, further detailing accusations against Drake. 
• “Not Like Us”: Lamar’s most impactful diss track, which gained significant popularity and led to Drake’s counters. 
• “The Heart Part 6”: Drake’s final response to Lamar, attempting to deny accusations and explain his actions. 
• Drake’s lawsuit against UMG: Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, alleging they artificially inflated the popularity of “Not Like Us”. 

Conclusion

The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef has taken a complex turn, with a lawsuit involving UMG and several executives. The outcome of the case remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – the feud between these two rappers shows no signs of cooling down. Drake’s upcoming album, “Iceman,” is highly anticipated, and fans are eager to see how this beef will play out in the music world.