Drake's legal team vows to "expose UMG's gross prioritization of his own corporate profits" ahead of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance

Drake’s legal team issued a public statement ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.

Prior to the latter performing hit tracks like euphoria, peekaboo, Humble and more, the OVO Sound legal team seemingly vowed to expose Universal Music Group for their “gross prioritization of its own corporate profits.” This comes in between Drizzy and UMG’s feud over K. Dot’s Drizzy-diss track Not Like Us.

On February 9, Drake’s legal team released an official statement through the New York Times where they alleged that UMG was simply “masquerading as a champion of artistic freedom.” The statement added:

“There is nothing entertaining about p*dophilia or child abuse in the real world. We are confident that the evidence we will ultimately present at trial, including information we’ve already learned and continue to receive since filing the lawsuit, will expose UMG’s gross prioritization of its own corporate profits and executive bonuses over its exclusively signed artists’ well-being and the truth.”

Notably, Kendrick Lamar performed the aforementioned diss track, which won five Grammy Awards this year at the Halftime show. Prior to the same, he hinted at the lawsuit and told viewers:

“I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.”

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Inside Drake’s feud with UMG as rapper’s legal team releases statement ahead of Super Bowl

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, filed an 81-page federal lawsuit on January 15 with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. In the same, the rapper alleged that UMG “launched a campaign” against him by promoting Not Like Us, which accused Drizzy of being a “p*dophile.”

Drizzy is now seeking punitive, nominal and compensatory damages. He is also asking a judge to order UMG to state that everything said in Not Like Us is false. The One Dance crooner also wants the judge to order UMG to:

“Stop making statement about the popularity of the Recording, Image, or Video, in ‘Not Like Us.’”

It is worth noting that Drake is signed to UMG himself alongside Kendrick Lamar.

Kendrick Lamar performed Not LIke Us at the halftime show. However, he did not say the word “p*dophile,” with the audience also helping K. Dot deliver the “A Minor” lyric which is now famous.

Tennis legend Serena Williams also showcased her dance moves while representing Compton, California, where she and Lamar are proudly from.

There were questions about K. Dot performing Not Like Us considering the lawsuit that mentioned the diss track. However, the Lamar was not mentioned in the legal filing as a defendant.

Meanwhile, Drizzy’s Frozen Moments Company also accused Spotify of manipulating the streaming of Not Like Us by using “bots” and “pay-to-play agreements.” Both Spotify and UMG have since denied the same.

This is the second time Kendrick Lamar has performed on the biggest stage in music, which has previously been graced by Beyoncé, Madonna, Prince, Lady Gaga, the Rolling Stones and more.

K. Dot made his Super Bowl debut back in 2022 when he was joined by rap legend Dr. Dre and other icons like Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige.