JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Will Drake Access Kendrick Lamar’s Contract in Not Like Us Feud? Attorney Seeks to Reveal What ‘UMG Was Hiding’ After Ruling
Drake scores a major courtroom win in the defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us. Read on to find out what happened.
Drake has won a legal battle in his lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar's hit song Not Like Us. The Hotline Bling rapper sued Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation.
A New York judge granted Drake's request, allowing his attorneys to access documents from the label. At a pre-trial hearing, Judge Jeanette Vargas denied UMG's attempt to block the discovery process, permitting Drake's lawyers to depose executives and request records.
The decision followed UMG's March 18 motion to halt the discovery process, arguing that the requests would impose an "undue burden" due to extensive data collection. The label claimed compliance would be both time-consuming and costly.
According to Variety, UMG stated that Drake's requests would require "costly collection and review of large swaths of hard-copy and electronic data sets, contracts and agreements, and communications."
Drake's lead lawyer, Michael Gottlieb of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, welcomed the ruling, stating it was time to uncover what UMG had been trying to conceal. "Now it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide," he told the outlet.
Drake initially sued the company in January, alleging harassment. He claimed UMG deliberately fueled a dangerous and false reputation for him while using the controversy to serve its own commercial interests.
UMG has pushed back aggressively since January, filing a motion to dismiss the case. In its filing, the label dismissed Drake's claims as meritless, suggesting they stemmed from frustration over his rap battle loss.
Drake's legal team accused UMG of intentionally spreading false narratives for financial gain and artificially boosting streaming numbers for Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us—allegations both UMG and Spotify have denied. The judge’s ruling now allows for a deeper investigation into UMG’s business practices.
Latest Articles
