Drake and Kendrick Lamar war goes nuclear as Canadian rapper sues for defamation over diss track

The bitter beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar could be headed to court over hit diss track Not Like Us.

Drake has taken another legal shot at his record label Universal, alleging they promoted the Kendrick Lamar diss track Not Like Us knowing it “falsely” accused him of being a pedophile.

A new legal petition filed in Texas, the Canadian rapper alleges Universal Music Group was aware Not Like Us and related artwork and music video defamed his character by “falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harbouring sex offenders, and committing other criminal sexual acts.”

The latest court documents state the multinational music company allowed the song to go viral knowing it called him a “certified pedophile,” a “predator,” and someone whose name should “be registered and placed on neighbourhood watch,” according to its lyrics.

“(UMG) could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed. But UMG chose to do the opposite,” according to the court filing.

“UMG designed, financed, and then executed a plan to turn Not Like Us into a viral mega-hit” and the label was allegedly involved in pay-for-play schemes with streaming platforms to boost revenues from the track.

While Drake and Lamar have traded several diss tracks this year, it appears the Canadian rapper is done answering his nemesis in song and is now attempting to settle the bitter battle in court.

Drake is alleging Lamar’s Not Like Us diss track is defamatory. Picture: Prince Williams/Wireimage.

Hip hop’s biggest beef dramatically escalated earlier this week with lawyers acting on behalf of Drake filed a legal petition in a New York court alleging UMG and Spotify conspired to artificially boost Lamar’s song.

The court filing accuses UMG of orchestrating an illegal campaign involving bots, payola and other methods to promote Not Like Us which savagely attacks Drake as the pair’s ongoing music feud proves as entertaining as their latest releases.

The track was Lamar’s fifth diss song aimed at Drake and is now closing in on one billion Spotify streams since its release in May. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA charts here.

It has been nominated for five awards at the 2025 Grammys.

Drake is threatening to go to court over Kendrick diss track Not Like Us. Picture: Kevin Winter.

“UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” the filing states. “It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”

Drake’s lawyers claimed one of the methods used included charging Spotify a reduced licensing rate in exchange for the platform pushing the song to users via unrelated search results.

This latest escalation is the high-profile rap battle is remarkable because it has put UMG in the middle of the mess. The timing of the legal petition is curious as Lamar just dropped a surprise new record GNX last weekend.

Kendrick Lamar has been trading diss tracks against Drake all year. Picture: Ian Laidlaw

The world’s largest multinational music company has been Drake’s label home for more than two decades via its Republic records imprint.

Lamar is also signed to UMG via its Interscope label.

UMG hit back at the court action, declaring the allegations to be “offensive and untrue”.

“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the multinational company said in a statement.

“We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns.

“No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”

Lamar is up for more Grammys next year with Not Like Us hit. Picture: Timothy A. Clary.

Fans have been “cheering” the beef between the hip hop heavyweight since it erupted in 2013 when Lamar took shot at other rappers with his verse on the Big Sean song Control.

The HUMBLE star claimed it was “friendly competition” and the rap pair dismissed reports of bad blood between them.

But the beef went nuclear this year as reignited earlier this year when Lamar dissed Drake and J. Cole on the track Like That, with Future and Metro Boomin’. The pair have since traded several musical barbs.

Drake “announced” he is returning to Australia to tour in February next year via a livestreamed interview but a local promoter is yet to confirm dates and ticketing details.