What did Drake say about iHeartMedia in his Texas petition? Rapper removes the company from the pre-suit discovery as they reach an agreement

Canadian rapper Drake, also called Drizzy, has dropped iHeartMedia from his Texas petition after reaching an "amicable resolution." On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Hot New Hip Hop, citing legal documents submitted to the Bexar County District Court, reported the company's dismissal.

In November 2024, Drizzy filed two pre-action petitions (in New York and Texas) accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) and others of illegally boosting the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us using bots, payola, and other methods.

The Texas filing, targeting UMG and iHeartMedia, alleges that the label "funneled payments" to the latter company in a pay-to-play scheme to promote Lamar's song on radio.

As for the one in New York, he voluntarily withdrew it on January 14, 2025. A day later, he brought a lawsuit against UMG, accusing the label of defamation and harassment.

---

UMG filed a motion to dismiss Drake's Texas petition last month

A screenshot of the legal document shows that the dismissal was "without prejudice." This means the existing claims made in the petition against UMG remain standing.

In the pre-action filing (not a lawsuit but can lead to one), Drake alleged that the label was aware that Not Like Us "falsely" accused him of p*dophilia but did nothing to stop its release. The document claimed that the company did so to harm Drizzy and his company's reputation, stating:

"UMG designed, financed and then executed a plan to turn 'Not Like Us' into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues."

The filing stopped short of actually alleging defamation but threatened a "claim for defamation."

Drake and Kendrick Lamar were involved in a rap beef last year, which saw both rappers dropping diss tracks targeting the other's career and private lives. The tracks included Drizzy's Family Matters and Lamar's Not Like Us.

Fans and critics believe the latter song won Lamar the feud. The track accuses Drizzy of p*dophilia and s*xual misconduct and even calls the Toronto-born singer a "colonizer."

Not Like Us has topped several charts and year-end lists, including Hot 100 and Apple Music's Song of the Year. It earned Lamar numerous awards, including five Grammys. It is worth noting that UMG distributes recordings of both rappers via Republic Records (Drizzy) and Interscope (Lamar).

According to a report by Variety, on January 23, UMG filed a motion for the petition to be dismissed, denying any allegations of foul play. The company accused Drake of using "strategic legal retaliation" to limit the distribution of the track. It further claimed that the rapper provided no evidence to support his claims.

While iHeartMedia is no longer in Drizzy's crosshairs, the company is currently being investigated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for illegally boosting the airplay of specific artists to get them to play at their iHeartCountry Festival in Austin, TX, for free.

---

While a pre-trial hearing date for Drake's lawsuit against UMG in New York is slated for April 2, the label requested to push the conference ahead. Per the company, the delay would allow the judge time to consider their motion to dismiss the case to be filed before March 17, 2025, reported Hip Hop DX.

Per the outlet, Drizzy's attorney slammed the request in a separate filing, stating that it would continue to damage his client's reputation. He cited Kendrick's Super Bowl LIX performance as representative of the harm that comes with waiting. Currently, the hearing remains scheduled for April 2.