Drake has accused Kendrick Lamar of having "assassinated his character" during his Super Bowl halftime show
The Canadian rapper is suing his own record label, Universal Music Group (UMG) for releasing and promoting Kendrick's diss track 'Not Like Us', and in an amended defamation claim filed on Wednesday (16.04.25), he argued the performance in February, as well as his rival's Grammy Award wins for the song, "introduced new listeners to the Recording, causing even more people to be duped into believing that Drake was a paedophile"
23 April 2025
The amendment claimed UMG made significant financial envestments and used professional connections to arrange for the amplification of the allegations in the track to be heard by a wider audience.
It highlighted figures that branded the performance the most-viewed halftime show of all time, stating as a result it introduced 'Not Like Us' to "millions more who had never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it."
The suit stated: "It was the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist."
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 'Hotline Bling' hitmaker argued that Kendrick omitting the phrase "certified paedophile" during his performance of the track at the NFL showpiece game affirmed his belief the song's lyrics are defamatory.
The suit stated: "No other modifications were made.
"On information and belief, Kendrick Lamar would not have been permitted to perform during the Super Bowl Performance unless the word 'paedophile' (in the phrase 'certified paedophiles') was omitted from the lyrics-that is because nearly everyone understands that it is defamatory to falsely brand someone a 'certified pedophile'."
Drake's lead attorney, Michael Gottlieb, insisted the amendment made his "already strong case stronger".
He added in a statement: "UMG's PR 'spin' and failed efforts to avoid discovery cannot suppress the facts and the truth.
"With discovery now moving forward, Drake will expose the evidence of UMG's misconduct, and UMG will be held accountable for the consequences of its ill-conceived decisions."
However, UMG has denied allegations that it "intentionally sought to turn Drake into a pariah, a target for harassment, or worse" and "did so not because it believes any of these false claims to be true, but instead because it would profit from damaging Drake's reputation", and branded the lawsuit "foolish and frivolous".
They added in a statement: "Drake, unquestionably one of the world's most accomplished artists and with whom we've enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another.
"Both the Texas and New York proceedings are an affront to all artists and creative expression.
"Should his legal representatives senselessly keep the New York lawsuit alive, we will demonstrate that all remaining claims are without merit.
"It is shameful that these foolish and frivolous legal theatrics continue.
"They are reputationally and financially costly to Drake and have no chance of success."
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