Universal Music Group has filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s New York lawsuit, claiming he sued the record label out of spite after losing a rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. According to the motion, Drake provoked the controversy and participated willingly, but instead of accepting the loss, he took legal action.
The filing notes that Drake previously signed a petition criticizing prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them. The company argues that this is a double standard, as Universal promoted diss tracks against Lamar but not vice versa. They claim that “Not Like Us” conveys non-actionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole, not fact.
Drake’s attorney says the motion is a ploy to avoid accountability for UMG’s alleged role in spreading misinformation that led to violence. The case will proceed, with the attorney confident of uncovering UMG’s history of exploiting its artists.
This comes after Drake initially filed a lawsuit against Universal, claiming they artificially inflated and promoted “Not Like Us” as part of a viral hit campaign.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/music/news/drake-kendrick-lamar-not-like-us-lawsuit-motion-dismiss-1236339456