Universal hits back at Drake’s ‘illogical’ lawsuit

Universal Music Group has hit back at Drake’s attempt to sue it following the release of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us last year.

The Canadian musician filed a lawsuit Tuesday, accusing the company of defamation by allowing the song to be released, saying it spread the “false and malicious narrative” that he was a pedophile.

In response, Universal, which has been Drake’s label for over a decade, said: “Not only are these claims false, but the idea that we would seek to damage the reputation of any artist – without talking about Drake – is illogical.”

He also accuses the star of trying to “silence” Lamar by taking their rap battle to court.

“Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry and engage in conventionally outrageous ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings towards other artists,” the label said.

“He now seeks to use the legal process as a weapon to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from (Universal) for distributing that artist’s music.”

In response to claims that Universal deliberately harmed Drake’s career, the label said it had “invested heavily” in his music, helping him “achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”

“We have not and do not engage in defamation – against anyone,” the statement concluded.

Drake’s lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and marks the latest chapter in his long-running feud with Lamar.

The two went head-to-head on a series of rap tracks last year. In one of them, Drake accused Lamar of domestic violence. Lamar responded with Not Like Us, in which he called Drake and his entourage “certified pedophiles” who should “be registered and placed on neighborhood watch.”

In court documents, Drake claimed that Universal knew Lamar’s words were false but “continued to fan the flames” of controversy for profit.

He claimed the label launched “a campaign to create a viral hit” from the song, and suggested a shooting at his Toronto mansion last May was directly linked to those actions.

Universal, he said, “chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”

However, the court case was not aimed at Lamar himself.

“This lawsuit is not about the artist who created Not Like Us,” court documents state.

“Rather, this is entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous.”