Drake Sues His Own Label Over Kendrick Lamar Diss Track

The rap world is no stranger to drama, but Drake has taken it to a new level with a lawsuit against his own record label, Universal Music Group (UMG). The rapper, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, filed the suit in New York on January 15, accusing the label of promoting Kendrick Lamar’s controversial diss track, Not Like Us.

The feud stems from Kendrick’s track, released in May 2024, which includes explosive lyrics and imagery that Drake claims defamed his character. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Drake, 38, alleges that the song falsely accuses him of being a pedophile and encourages violence against him.

Among the allegations, Drake’s legal team highlights the lyric, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young,” where Lamar reportedly refers to the rapper as a “certified pedophile” who should be “placed on neighborhood watch.” 

The lawsuit also notes that the song’s cover art and music video featured images resembling Drake’s Toronto home, with symbols mimicking law enforcement labels for sex offenders.

Drake alleges that UMG approved, released, and even promoted the track in an effort to turn it into a viral hit. The suit claims the label “repeatedly defamed Drake while exploiting and monetizing his work.”

Meanwhile, Universal Music Group denies any wrongdoing. In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson said: “Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is illogical. We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial succes.”

UMG also pointed out that diss tracks and “rap battles” are an intrinsic part of the genre. “Throughout his career, Drake has successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists,” the statement read. 

“He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music,” the statement read further.

The lawsuit follows earlier accusations by Drake. In November 2024, the rapper claimed UMG used bots and pay-to-play strategies to manipulate streaming platforms and push Kendrick’s song to go viral. UMG denied those allegations, calling the claims “contrived and absurd.”

Drake’s current federal lawsuit seeks to hold UMG accountable for what he alleges was a deliberate effort to promote dangerous and defamatory content. “Drake has never engaged in any acts that would require he be ‘placed on neighborhood watch.’ Drake has never engaged in sexual relations with a minor. Drake has never been charged with, or convicted of, any criminal acts whatsoever,” the lawsuit states.

Despite the legal back-and-forth, UMG remains steadfast in its defense, promising to “vigorously defend this litigation.”