Hip-Hop star Drake has escalated his legal battle against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing the label of intentionally using Kendrick Lamar’s high-profile performances to damage his reputation. According to AllHipHop.com, the rapper filed a 107-page amended complaint in a New York court on Wednesday, 16 April.
The complaint takes direct aim at Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us” during the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, which was viewed by a staggering 133 million people. Drake’s legal team argues that the performance was “orchestrated to assassinate [his] character,” citing the NFL’s decision to censor the word “pedophile” in the broadcast as proof that both the league and UMG acknowledged the lyric’s defamatory implications.
Drake’s attorneys further allege that the damage was compounded at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where “Not Like Us” won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year, and was performed live before an audience of over 15 million viewers. The updated lawsuit contends that UMG either ignored or actively supported efforts to boost the track’s streaming figures using bots, contributing to what Drake’s camp sees as a coordinated campaign to tarnish his image.
As reported by AllHipHop.com, the rapper’s lawyers claim that UMG’s actions have not only harmed his public image but also jeopardised his safety and strained his business relationships. The suit says continued promotion of the track has led to threats against Drake and his family.
In response, UMG strongly rejected the allegations, describing the lawsuit as “baseless and damaging.”
“Drake, unquestionably one of the world’s most accomplished artists and with whom we’ve enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another,” UMG said in an official statement. “Both the Texas and New York proceedings are an affront to all artists and creative expression.”
The label went on to criticise the ongoing litigation as “foolish and frivolous legal theatrics,” adding that they are “reputationally and financially costly to Drake and have no chance of success.”
Drake’s legal team has already secured court permission to request access to Lamar’s contract with UMG, as well as related internal documents. His attorney argued that the label has been “intent on concealing” crucial evidence.
A hearing on UMG’s motion to dismiss is scheduled for 30 June. Should the case proceed, a jury trial could begin later this year and is expected to last up to three weeks.
For more updates on this developing story and other exclusive Hip-Hop news, visit AllHipHop.com.
