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On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, Drake amended his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), adding new claims related to Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show and Grammy Awards appearances.
According to Hotnewhiphop, the 107-page update, filed in Manhattan federal court, argues that the label helped spread defamatory content against the rapper. In response, UMG issued a strong warning publicly, saying:
"That 'win' will become a loss if this frivolous and reckless lawsuit is not dropped in its entirety because Drake will personally be subject to discovery as well. As the old saying goes, 'be careful what you wish for.'"
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The company stated that continuing the lawsuit would expose the artist to legal risks during the discovery phase. The dispute centers around alleged character defamation stemming from Kendrick Lamar's viral diss track Not Like Us, which was performed and promoted at widely viewed events earlier this year.
In its statement released on Thursday, Universal Music Group accused Drake of being misled by his lawyers.
"Drake, unquestionably one of the world's most accomplished artists and with whom we've enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another," the company wrote.
Universal Music Group pointed out that Drake previously filed a lawsuit in Texas last November, which was recently dropped. A separate defamation suit in New York was filed in January, and now the company says it is being expanded with more "baseless allegations." UMG also referred to a recent court ruling that allows discovery to move forward, warning that it might backfire on Drake.
UMG denounces Drake's lawsuit as "frivolous" amid allegations of censorship and bot streaming
In the amended complaint, Drake's team argues that the NFL and Universal Music Group knowingly censored the word "p*dophile" during Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance, proving they were aware it was defamatory, as stated by Hotnewhiphop.
According to CNN, the lawsuit states that Lamar's song Not Like Us was broadcasted to millions of viewers during the Super Bowl and reached more people during the Grammy Awards, even though Lamar did not perform the track there. Drake's lawyers claim both events helped spread the harmful accusations and increased threats toward the artist and his family.
"The agreement to censor the word 'p*dophile' failed to cure the Super Bowl performance of conveying the recording's central defamatory meaning," the new filing reads. "It was the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist."
Drake's amended complaint no longer includes specific claims from a supposed whistleblower who had earlier alleged that Universal Music Group paid for fake streams to promote Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us. Instead, the new version states that the label turned a blind eye to the alleged activity, as reported by Music Business Worldwide.
"At minimum, UMG was aware that third parties were using bots to stream the recording and turned a blind eye, despite having the power to stop such behavior," the filing states.
Universal Music Group argued that Drake's lawsuits in both Texas and New York undermine the freedom of artistic expression, calling them an affront to all artists. The company described the legal actions as foolish and frivolous theatrics that are damaging to Drake's reputation and finances, and stated they believe the lawsuits have no chance of success.
Earlier this month, Judge Jeanette Vargas allowed the discovery phase of the lawsuit to proceed, rejecting UMG's request for a delay. This means both parties must now exchange documents and evidence related to the claims. Drake's legal team will be able to request internal UMG communications tied to Lamar’s halftime show, Grammy Awards footage, and streaming data.
According to CNN, Drake's lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, issued a statement saying:
"With discovery now moving forward, Drake will expose the evidence of UMG's misconduct, and UMG will be held accountable for the consequences of its ill-conceived decisions."
The defamation case is still in its early stages. If no settlement is reached, a trial could begin by mid-2026. Universal Music Group has until May 7 to submit a new motion seeking dismissal of Drake's amended complaint.
