Rapper Drake has filed an expanded federal defamation lawsuit against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), claiming he was defamed by Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show. The lawsuit is connected to the track “Not Like Us,” which Lamar released last year, and which included a notorious diss track directed at Drake.
According to court filings, over 100 million combined television viewers watched Lamar’s performance at the Grammys, where he won multiple awards despite skipping over the most defamatory line of his song. The show’s large audience introduced new listeners to the track, leading to an increase in streams and threats against Drake.
Drake denies being a “certified pedophile,” as claimed by Lamar in the song, but accuses UMG of inflating online streams and claims that the label paid to promote the song. He believes his lawsuit will expose evidence of UMG’s misconduct and force the label to be held accountable.
A judge has already rejected an attempt by UMG to pause the legal discovery process, allowing Drake to move forward with his case. The trial is set to potentially begin in summer 2026 if there isn’t a settlement.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/17/entertainment/drake-defamed-grammys-super-bowl/index.html