The Lawsuit Breakdown
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Drake’s suit alleges UMG “approved, published, and launched a campaign” to turn “Not Like Us” into a viral hit, knowingly pushing “false factual allegations” that he’s a “criminal pedophile” and inciting “vigilante justice.” The track—Kendrick’s knockout punch in their 2024 feud—blew up, topping charts and snagging five Grammys, including Song of the Year. Drake’s team says it’s not about Kendrick but UMG’s “corporate greed,” pointing to real-world fallout like a May 7, 2024, shooting at his Toronto home that wounded a security guard.
Documents filed April 9, 2025, confirm “settlement discussions have not taken place,” per People. The trial’s set to unpack this mess before a jury, starting late June if UMG’s dismissal bid fails.
UMG’s Counterpunch
UMG fired back with a motion to dismiss in March, arguing Drake “provoked” and “lost” the rap battle he “willingly participated in.” They called the suit “misguided,” saying, “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he claims to be, he’s sued his own label to salve his wounds.” UMG insists “Not Like Us” is hyperbolic diss-track trash talk—not fact—and that Drake’s own jabs at Kendrick (like “Taylor Made Freestyle”) show he played the game too. They’re pushing for a full nix with prejudice.
Drake’s Rebuttal
Drake’s lawyers aren’t budging. In April filings, they doubled down: “Millions of people… understood the defamatory material as a factual assertion that [Drake] is a pedophile.” They argue UMG ignored how the song’s context—like its cover art flagging Drake’s house with sex-offender markers—implied “undisclosed evidence” fans took as legit. Discovery’s rolling, with Drake’s team digging into Kendrick’s contracts and UMG exec bonuses, despite the label’s “undue burden” gripes.
What’s Next
Judge Jeanette Vargas greenlit discovery on April 2, keeping the case alive. A June 30 hearing will decide UMG’s dismissal push. If it survives, expect three weeks of courtroom fireworks—Drake’s rep, UMG’s ethics, and “Not Like Us”’s legacy all on trial.
