Drake; Kendrick Lamar. Getty image

Universal Music Group (UMG) filed a motion for dismissal in court against Drake after the Canadian rapper took legal action against them. The dispute about Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” has created widespread music industry and public interest because of the claims made by Canadian rapper Drake.

The Origins of the Lawsuit

The legal conflict originated when Drake alleged that Universal Music Group conspired to use payola methods through Spotify and iHeartRadio platforms to boost the musical accomplishments of “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. Lamar received multiple Grammy awards and became one of the year’s top-selling songs through his diss track as part of his ongoing rap feud with Drake in 2024.

After filing a defamation lawsuit totalling 81 pages in January 2025, Drake, under his legal name Aubrey Drake Graham, accused UMG of spreading false statements which damaged his reputation. The legal complaint does not mention Kendrick Lamar as a defendant in the case.

Drake; Kendrick Lamar. Getty image

UMG’s Motion to Dismiss

The legal representatives of UMG maintain that Drake filed this lawsuit as a desperate attempt to protect his dignity after he willingly took part in a rap battle that ended unfavourably for him. According to their court documents, diss tracks have traditional status as an artistic expression through hostile slander, while the papers also mention Drake previously releasing angry lyrics about Lamar.

The motion to dismiss further argues that:

• Drake participated in the battle willingly and urged Lamar to answer. Since they use exaggerated language, the law does not recognise defamation in these songs’ cases.
• Drake falls short of showing evidence of actual malice and the actual malice requirement for cases of defamation by public figures.
• The claims that UMG orchestrated a Lamar song breakthrough have no factual supporting evidence.

The Larger Implications

This legal case forces consideration of three major points involving artists’ creative liberties, music industry corporate interference and court-established limits for competitive rap performances. Drake delivered an open letter to support using rap lyrics as legal evidence in 2022, yet their company pursued the opposite strategy through their lawsuit.

Drake’s legal representative, Mike Gottlieb, condemned UMG for profiting from harmful false information while escaping responsibility. According to him, the lawsuit advancement continues because it will uncover unethical strategies by UMG.

The judicial system must determine if Drake has strong enough evidence to continue his lawsuit or if UMG should win their dismissal request. This legal dispute between Drake and Universal Music Group shows the potential to permanently transform the music business in terms of how prestigious artists resolve their conflicts with record labels.