UMG requests judge to extend the deadline for their response to Drake’s complaint by 34 days due to LA fires

Universal Music Group (UMG) recently requested Judge Jeannette A. Vargas to grant the company a 34-day extension to respond to Drake's defamation lawsuit due to the LA wildfires. The label was ordered to respond by February 11, but if the request is granted, the response will be postponed to March 17.

For the unversed, Drake sued his label, UMG, for allegedly defaming him by allowing his rival Kendrick Lamar to release Not Like Us, which accused him of being a p*dophile. In the suit, the Canadian rapper claimed the diss track, which went viral following its release in May 2024, posed a threat to his safety and livelihood.

According to an internal email obtained by Digital Music News, Sir Lucian Grainge, the company's chairman, claimed at least 50 employees were "totally displaced" in the wildfires that started on January 7.

On January 21, law firm Sidley Austin submitted the extension request to the New York Southern District court on behalf of their client UMG. The request claimed the wildfires "greatly impacted" the company's "executive and legal teams."

"We represent Defendant UMG Recordings, Inc. in the above-captioned matter. We write to request that Defendant's time to respond to the complaint be extended by 34 days, from February 11, 2025, to March 17, 2025, without prejudice to requesting an additional extension if needed. We request this extension including because the wildfires in Los Angeles have greatly impacted Defendant's executive and legal teams."

The request also stated that Drake's legal team consented to the 34-day extension.

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UMG appointed an executive task force to oversee initiatives to help employees

Digital Music News obtained an internal company email from UMG's Sir Lucian Grainge that detailed the company's state following the LA wildfires and the efforts taken to help their employees who suffered in the fires. According to the email, Grainge wrote:

"Among the many thousands of Los Angeles residents whose lives have been severely upended by the catastrophic fires are many of our own colleagues. As of today, at least 50 of our colleagues have been totally displaced, with many losing their homes entirely. With the fires still raging and threatening other areas of Los Angeles, unfortunately this situation is far from over."

He added that he was building an executive six-person task force to help "coordinate a range of efforts to support those impacted." Grainge also said he had canceled his prior appointments in Europe to remain in LA to oversee the operations.

In the email, Grainge mentioned that he had lived in Pacific Palisades for over 15 years. Pacific Palisades was one of the more severely affected areas in the LA wildfires, with over 23,700 acres burned since the fires started on January 7. The Eaton fires were the second largest, burning approximately 14,100 acres.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, UMG also canceled all Grammy-related events in light of the wildfires. The label said the resources would be redirected to help the victims.

“Today we have cancelled all of our Grammy-related events, including the Artist Showcase and After-Grammy Party, and will redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires. Our deepest gratitude goes to the first responders and emergency personnel, who continue to perform heroically.”

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In other news, UMG denied the claims in Drake's defamation lawsuit (filed on January 15). The lawsuit alleged that the record label attempted to spread a “false and malicious narrative” that the rapper was a child predator via Not Like Us. The label dubbed the suit "illogical," arguing that it helped Drake "achieve historic commercial and personal financial success" over the years.

Both Drake and Kendrick Lamar are signed to UMG but under different imprints. Drake is under Republic Records, while Lamar is with Interscope Records.