Rapper Drake has amended his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over the 2025 Grammy Awards, specifically song and record of the year for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”. The amended complaint expands on the January suit by adding new allegations. UMG claims that the lawsuit is baseless and an attempt to distract from Drake’s own legal woes.
According to the complaint, UMG promoted Lamar’s Super Bowl performance after the initial lawsuit was filed, which caused intentional harm to Drake. It also alleges that UMG’s CEO, Lucian Grainge, high-fived Dr. Dre while “Not Like Us” played during the telecast. However, the Grammys’ YouTube page excluded the song from a subsequently posted clip.
The amended complaint accuses UMG of conspiring with third parties to artificially inflate the success of the song on Spotify. Drake’s counsel claims that UMG was aware of this behavior but turned a blind eye despite having the power to stop it.
In response, UMG asserts that the lawsuit is an affront to all artists and creative expression. The company argues that there is no merit in the remaining claims and that the case will be dropped in its entirety.
The original lawsuit accused UMG of spreading false information about Drake being a pedophile via “Not Like Us”. This claim was made despite evidence showing that the song’s lyrics and images were likely altered to fit the narrative. The cover image of the song also sparked controversy after it led to a shooting incident at one of Drake’s homes.
The hearing for the lawsuit dismissal is scheduled for June 30.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/music/news/drake-universal-defame-kendrick-lamar-super-bowl-grammys-1236371414