Drake has reportedly filed a second legal action against Universal Music Group for defamation by falsely accusing him of being a pedophile with the release of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
Drake Files Second Legal Action Against UMG
Drizzy isn’t done going at UMG in court. On Monday (Nov. 25), he filed another pre-action petition against the music conglomerate, according to a report from Billboard on Tuesday (Nov. 26). The action, filed in Texas, also includes iHeartRadio and accuses UMG of defamation for distributing K-Dot’s chart-topping single “falsely accusing [Drake] of being a sex offender.” The filing claims UMG knew full well Kendrick’s allegations that Drake is a pedophile were false. However, they chose to distribute the song anyway.
“UMG … could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed,” Drake’s lawyers write. “But UMG chose to do the opposite. UMG designed, financed and then executed a plan to turn ‘Not Like Us’ into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues. That plan succeeded, likely beyond UMG’s wildest expectations.”
In addition, Drake is accusing the label of “funneling payments” to iHeartRadio in order to promote the song as part of an illegal “pay-to-play scheme.”
XXL has reached out to UMG and iHeartRadio for comment.
Drake Goes at UMG in Court
The second filing comes on the heels of another pre-action petition Drake’s company filed in New York Supreme Court on Monday, which accused UMG and Spotify of colluding to artificially inflate Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” numbers by using bots and payola.
A spokesperson for Universal Music Group released the following statement to XXL on Monday in response to Drake’s accusations: “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the statement reads. “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.”
Drake has been signed to UMG his entire career, first through Young Money. In 2022, he signed a deal with the company through Republic reported to be worth $400 million.
The pre-action petition is a move done prior to a lawsuit in order to force the other party to reveal documents and information in connection to the claims. It remains to be seen if Drake will move forward with lawsuits.
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FAQs
Q: What is Drake accusing Universal Music Group of in his legal actions?
A: Drake is accusing UMG of defamation for distributing Kendrick Lamar’s song that falsely accuses him of being a pedophile.
Q: What is the purpose of a pre-action petition in legal proceedings?
A: A pre-action petition is a move done prior to a lawsuit to force the other party to reveal documents and information in connection to the claims.
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