Drake sues own record label over Kendrick Lamar diss track 'pedophile' allegations

Drake has officially escalated his feud with Kendrick Lamar by suing Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation.

The 38-year-old rapper filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, alleging that the music label allowed the release and promotion of Lamar's diss track, Not Like Us, which Drake claims contains false allegations accusing him of pedophilia.

The court documents describe the track, which debuted on May 4, 2024, as part of a larger campaign by UMG to create a viral hit.

According to the New York Post, the suit states that UMG "approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him."

Drake's lawsuit focuses on UMG's actions, rather than Lamar's, emphasizing that the legal challenge is directed at the label.

The lawsuit states, "This lawsuit is not about the artist who created Not Like Us. It is, instead, entirely about UMG... that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false but dangerous."

UMG, which represents both Drake and Lamar, responded to the allegations with a firm denial.

A spokesperson said, "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."

Lamar's Not Like Us achieved massive commercial success, earning five Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year. However, Drake claims that the song's allegations about him have tarnished his reputation.

The diss track even spurred a response from Drake in the form of his own diss track, The Heart Part 6, in which he accused Lamar of using fabricated stories to stoke their rivalry.

The Legal Fallout and Industry Impact

This is not Drake's first legal action related to Not Like Us. In late 2024, the rapper filed a pre-action petition against both UMG and Spotify, accusing them of inflating streams to boost the track's popularity.

However, that petition was later withdrawn. In this latest lawsuit, Drake seeks accountability for what he describes as "reckless behavior" by UMG in promoting damaging claims.

The longstanding rivalry between Drake and Lamar, which began in 2013, reached a boiling point with Not Like Us.

While the track solidified Lamar's commercial dominance - breaking Spotify records and securing him a headlining spot at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show - it has also fueled significant backlash.

Drake's lawsuit represents a broader concern about the responsibilities of music labels in managing conflicts between their artists.

As this case unfolds, it raises questions about the ethical responsibilities of record labels when handling controversial material and the boundaries of creative freedom in music.

With both artists at the forefront of the industry, the resolution of this legal dispute will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for artist-label relationships.