Drake Initiates Second Legal Action Against Universal Music Regarding “Sex Offender” Allegations in Song

Musician Drake has initiated a second legal proceeding against the record label Universal Music concerning Kendrick Lamar’s popular track “Not Like Us.” This song was launched earlier in the year during the peak of the rivalry between the two artists. Drake alleges defamation by Universal, stating in his legal documents that the company possessed the ability to prevent the distribution of a song that “falsely accusing him of being a sex offender.” His legal representatives contend that, contrary to preventing its release, Universal “executed a plan” to transform the song into “a viral mega-hit.” They further assert that the label leveraged Lamar’s provocative lyrics “to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues.” This action follows by one day Drake’s submission of documents in New York, where he accused the company of unlawfully enhancing the song’s visibility on Spotify. Universal has dismissed these allegations as “offensive and untrue.” The company stated, “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns,” adding, “No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments… can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.” Similar to the previous submission, this most recent court filing is not a formal lawsuit. Rather, it constitutes a “pre-action petition,” which enables Drake’s legal team to request a court order compelling Universal to safeguard any pertinent documents and data in anticipation of subsequent legal proceedings. The petition was submitted in Texas and additionally implicates the major radio corporation iHeartRadio, which manages over 850 stations throughout the US. Drake’s attorneys assert that “Not Like Us” was “heard more than 25 million times” by audiences on iHeart stations within the initial four months following its launch. Referencing a whistleblower, they allege that Universal may have made “covert payments” to iHeart as part of a “pay-to-play scheme” designed to promote the track. While Drake’s lawyers acknowledge they have been “unable to confirm” if these payments reached iHeart stations, they contend that, given its status “as the number one audio company in the country,” iHeart was the most probable beneficiary. Should it be granted, this court action would mandate that the companies furnish all evidence pertaining to the allegations. The BBC has reached out to iHeartRadio seeking a comment on the petition. Consistent with his earlier filing, Drake further accuses Universal of employing “bots” to artificially boost Lamar’s streaming figures and of compensating influencers to market “Not Like Us” digitally. Universal has refuted all these claims. However, the most recent documents elaborate on Drake’s complaints against Universal, the label with which he has been associated throughout his professional life. These papers assert that the company was aware Lamar’s song “falsely” labeled him a “certified paedophile,” a “predator,” and an individual whose name ought to “be registered and placed on neighbourhood watch,” yet proceeded with its release regardless. The track was largely perceived as the conclusive strike in an extended rivalry between the two hip-hop artists, who have exchanged lyrical insults in their music since the early 2010s. It premiered at the top position on the US chart and has also received nominations for four Grammy Awards, among them “song of the year.” Drake countered with a song titled “The Heart Part 6,” wherein he refuted allegations of sexual misconduct and asserted that he had supplied Lamar with “false” intelligence via a double agent. Nevertheless, the artist subsequently removed the track from his Instagram profile. The Canadian artist, recognized as one of history’s most-streamed musicians, issues music via his personal label, OVO Music. However, he licenses these tracks to Republic, a subsidiary label of Universal, for promotional and distribution purposes. Lamar maintains a comparable arrangement, licensing his recordings through Universal’s Interscope imprint. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.