A$AP Rocky Shades Drake's Legal Fight With UMG Amid Kendrick Feud Fallout

A$AP Rocky is speaking out about Drake's legal fight with Universal Music Group (UMG), calling the move out of place in hip-hop's battle culture.

The comments come as tensions continue following Drake's high-profile lyrical war with Kendrick Lamar earlier this year.

In a new ELLE cover story published on Tuesday (Sept. 23), Rocky reflected on the heated back-and-forth between Lamar and Drake, which resulted in tracks like "Not Like Us," "Euphoria," and "Family Matters."

"It was healthy for hip-hop," Rocky said, explaining why he didn't join in the feud. "The battle was between Kendrick and Drake, not Drake and everybody else who might have said something at that time, and that's mainly why I fell back."

But Rocky didn't hold back when asked about Drake's recent lawsuit against UMG.

The Toronto rapper is accusing his longtime label of ignoring false claims made in Kendrick's "Not Like Us" diss, which topped the Billboard Hot 100. According to Billboard, Drake says UMG chose "corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists."

"I just hate the way it's turning out with [Drake] suing and all that," Rocky told sources. "What part of the game is that? What type of sh*t is that? That's none of my business, I guess."

Rocky Takes Aim at Drake's UMG Lawsuit Amid Rihanna History

Rocky's comments show his support for rap battles staying in the music, not the courts. His own past with Drake adds extra weight to the criticism.

The two were once close, even touring together, but their relationship cooled in recent years—partly due to Rocky's relationship with Rihanna.

Drake and Rihanna, once a famous pair themselves, had a public falling out after Drake's surprise love speech at the 2016 MTV VMAs, Vibe reported. Rihanna later said they were no longer friends.

Now, Rocky and Rihanna are raising a family together, with two sons and a third baby on the way. While Rocky has moved on personally and professionally, he continues to pay attention to hip-hop's biggest moments.

Drake's lawsuit remains active, with claims that UMG hid emails about the release of "Not Like Us." UMG has denied all wrongdoing, stating: "We have not and do not engage in defamation — against any individual."

Tags

A$AP Rocky, Drake