Drake’s request to entry delicate Common Music Group (UMG) paperwork has been granted after he accused the document label of defamation.
The artist is taking authorized motion after UMG allowed Kendrick Lamar’s iconic diss monitor on him, ‘Not Like Us’, to be printed and marketed, with claims that it unfold the ‘malicious narrative’ that the Canadian rapper is a ‘licensed p***phile’.
In consequence, Drake requested for info on salaries and bonuses for senior executives on the document label, in addition to copies of Lamar’s personal contract.
In an announcement launched by UMG on his claims, they referred to as the claims ‘unfaithful’ and stated that it was ‘illogical’ that they’d need to tarnish his repute after years of assist and serving to him ‘obtain historic industrial and private monetary success.’
“He now seeks to weaponise the authorized course of to silence an artist’s artistic expression and to hunt damages from [Universal] for distributing that artist’s music,” they added.
In case you forgot the controversial lyrics which are being zeroed in on, the strains in ‘Not Like Us’ go: “Say, Drake, I hear you want ’em younger,
“You higher not ever go to cell block one…
“To any b*tch that discuss to him and so they in love,
“Simply be sure to cover your lil’ sister from him…
“Licensed Lover Boy? Licensed p***philes…
“Tryna ring a bell and it is most likely A minor,” with one other line suggesting that Drake and members of his crew be ‘positioned on neighbourhood watch.’
After UMG requested for a pause in evidence-gathering, Drake’s request to entry delicate paperwork was authorized, as Choose Jeannette A Vargas introduced on Wednesday that the method might proceed.
Drake’s head lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, stated in an announcement to the BBC: “Now it is time to see what UMG was so desperately attempting to cover.”
A courtroom submitting learn that Drake’s crew is in search of ‘all contracts between UMG and Kendrick Lamar’, again so far as 2020.
UMG initially objected the request of offering info that might be ‘commercially delicate’ and expensive, particularly for the reason that case could also be dismissed sooner or later.
A listening to for the case to be dismissed is ready for 30 June.
Drake beforehand issued an announcement by way of legal professionals earlier than Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl half-time efficiency, which included the 2024 track: “UMG is masquerading as a champion of inventive freedom by calling its actions merely ‘leisure,’ however there may be nothing entertaining about p***philia or baby abuse in the actual world.
“We’re assured that the proof we’ll in the end current at trial—together with info we’ve already realized and proceed to obtain since submitting the lawsuit—will expose UMG’s gross prioritization of its personal company income and govt bonuses over its completely signed artists’ well-being and the reality,” the assertion learn.
Historical past of the Drake-Kendrick beef
Drake and Lamar had been as soon as pals within the trade, collaborating on tracks corresponding to ‘Poetic Justice’, ‘F***in’ Issues’, and ‘Buried Alive Interlude’ up to now.
However following a suggestion from J. Cole on Drake’s 2023 track ‘First Particular person Shooter Mode’ – the place Cole options – that, together with Lamar, they had been the ‘Large Three’ of the rap trade. Lamar took offence and responded on Metro Boomin monitor ‘Like That.’
He stated: “Motherf*** the massive three, it is simply massive me.”
Drake would then reply with ‘Push Ups’ and ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’, whereas Lamar would hearth again with ‘Euphoria’ and ‘6:16 in LA.’
The Canadian rapper then thought he’d received with ‘Household Issues’, just for Lamar to hit again with ‘Not Like Us’, the place he made the p***phile allegations, and ‘Meet the Grahams’, a spooky monitor the place he went after Drake’s household.
Regardless of the authorized battle, Lamar would carry out throughout the Tremendous Bowl half-time present, even wanting into the digital camera when mentioning Drake in ‘Not Like Us.’
