Drake is asking a federal judge to make Universal Music Group (UMG) CEO Lucian Grainge turn over key records in his legal fight over Kendrick Lamar's hit track "Not Like Us."
The song, released under UMG's Interscope Records label in 2024, calls the rapper a "certified pedophile" — a lyric Drake says was meant to damage his reputation, TMZ said.
According to court filings made Tuesday, Aug. 12, Drake's legal team believes Grainge may have approved the release of the Grammy-winning track knowing it could harm the Canadian rapper's brand.
Attorney Michael Gottlieb says UMG has so far refused to hand over Grainge's emails, text messages, or an unredacted version of Lamar's record deal, leaving much of the 22-page contract "virtually unreadable and incomprehensible."
The lawsuit accuses UMG of using deceptive business tactics to boost the popularity of "Not Like Us," which has since broken streaming records and was featured in this year's Super Bowl halftime show.
Both Lamar's Interscope label and Drake's Republic Records are subsidiaries of UMG.
Drake’s legal team has requested UMG to provide all documents on Kendrick Lamar's entire life since 1987 pic.twitter.com/zzfkIEzaM5
— HFR Podcast (@hfrpodcast) August 13, 2025
Drake Claims UMG Had Motive to Hurt His Brand Before Contract Talks
Gottlieb argues that Grainge, often called the most powerful figure in the music industry, holds "a position of control" over artists like Lamar.
He claims UMG had a motive to weaken Drake's brand before upcoming contract negotiations, noting that Grainge is known for encouraging competition between labels under the company's umbrella.
"If, as UMG claims, Grainge had no meaningful involvement, then UMG should have little to produce, and the burden would be minimal," Gottlieb said in court papers.
According to Billboard, Drake's team is also asking for records to see if UMG has ever blocked or refused to promote defamatory content before.
They point to claims that UMG's Def Jam label cut offensive lyrics from Pusha T's 2018 Drake diss track "The Story of Adidon" as an example of selective editorial decisions.
They're also seeking details on Interscope's earnings from "Not Like Us," the value of Lamar's music catalog, and how much Interscope CEO John Janick gets paid.
UMG denies any wrongdoing, saying Drake is simply embarrassed after losing his public rap battle with Lamar. The company argues the case should be thrown out entirely.
Judge Jeannette A. Vargas is currently reviewing UMG's motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Originally published on Enstarz
