Courtroom Papi: Drake Hits a Sour Legal Key
Drake is at it again, doubling down on his self-appointed role as music’s most thin-skinned artist. In his second legal move of the day, the Canadian rapper has filed yet another petition, accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) of defamation over Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping diss track, “Not Like Us.”
According to the filing in Bexar County, Texas, Drake claims the song “falsely accuses him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders, and committing other criminal sexual acts.” He also alleges that UMG funneled payments to iHeartRadio in a pay-to-play scheme to boost Lamar’s already dominant track. That’s right—Drake isn’t just mad about the lyrics; he’s mad that people actually heard them.
From “Champagne Papi” to “Champagne Petty”
The latest filing comes mere hours after Drake accused UMG and Spotify in a separate New York petition of conspiring to boost streams for “Not Like Us”. That claimed bots, under-the-table payments, and biased recommendations propped up the track’s success. At this rate, Drake might be running out of courtrooms to file complaints in—and his dignity is already long gone.
Let’s not forget: “Not Like Us”debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and catapulted Lamar to Grammy nominations galore. Instead of taking the high road, Drake appears determined to whine his way into the headlines, hoping lawyers can accomplish what his music apparently can’t.
UMG’s Response: A Mic Drop
In response to the initial filing, a UMG spokesperson issued a statement dripping with disdain:
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
Translation? Drake should probably take this one up with the listeners who streamed Lamar’s “Not Like Us“ on repeat.
The Bigger Picture
This feud isn’t just a battle between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars—it’s also a masterclass in how not to handle being outshined. While Lamar lets his music do the talking, Drake seems to be talking his way into irrelevance.
For more on Drake’s campaign to out-embarrass himself, check out our earlier take: Siri, Play ‘Desperate’: Drake Cries Foul.
The real winner here? Kendrick Lamar. He’s not just living rent-free in Drake’s head—he’s throwing a party in there. Learn more about DNX, Kendrick’s surprise album.
