Where did Kendrick Lamar grow up? Drake claims his rap beef rival grew up in Oakland in UMG lawsuit

Drake's high-profile rap battle with Kendrick Lamar encountered several turns, the latest of which saw the Canadian rapper filing a defamation lawsuit against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG). In the suit filed on January 15, Drake accused the record label of defamation and harassment for promoting the release of Lamar's diss track Not Like Us, which described Drake as a "certified p*dophile."

According to a report from TMZ, the lawsuit alleged the song posed a threat to the Canadian rapper's life and livelihood, claiming it "repeatedly suggests that violence should be used against Drake because he is a p*dophile." The suit also reportedly wrongfully claimed Kendrick Lamar was from Oakland, California, writing:

"Later, the Recording threatens that if Drake comes to Oakland, where Lamar grew up, he will not make it out alive: 'I think that Oakland show gon' be your last stop.'"

However, Kendrick Lamar is from Compton, California. Lamar has made several references to growing up in Compton in many songs, including Not Like Us. The rapper also had a track dedicated to his hometown in his 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city, titled Compton featuring Dr. Dre.

"Will swarm on me like a beehive/ Hop in the G ride/ From the West to the Eastside/ Know that's just how Compton roll," Kendrick Lamar rapped in the song.

Kendrick Lamar also shot the music video for Not Like Us in Compton, inviting the public to join him on the streets to celebrate the culture. The MV also included cameos from his TDE associates, Dave Free and DeMar DeRozan, among others.

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Exploring the Oakland reference in Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us garnered immense attention during his 2024 rap beef with Drake. The DJ Mustard-produced song, released in May, saw the rapper accuse Drake of being a p*dophile and colonizer. He also criticized the Canadian rapper for allegedly disrespecting fellow rapper Tupac Shakur with the lyrics:

"You think the Bay gon' let you disrespect Pac, n***a?/ I think that Oakland show gon' be your last stop, n***a."

The Oakland reference in Not Like Us is a possible nod to Shakur, who lived in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Shakur also recently has a street in Oakland named after him. In 2023, Oakland unveiled Tupac Shakur Way, renaming a section of MacArthur Boulevard near where he used to live in the 90s.

Shakur was a point of contention between the two rappers throughout the battle, with either artist name-dropping the late rapper in their diss tracks. It is common knowledge that Kendrick Lamar looked up to Shakur as one of his inspirations, which Drake used to his advantage when he released his diss song titled Taylor Made Freestyle wherein he reportedly used AI to replicate Tupac's voice.

Drake later deleted the track after Shakur's estate sent him a cease-and-desist, claiming the rapper did not seek their permission to use Shakur's vocal likeness.

Kendrick Lamar also referenced Drake purchasing Shakur's ring in 2023 in his diss track Euphoria, claiming he was willing to pay double what Drake paid to keep him from sullying the late rapper's name. When Kendrick Lamar performed the song live for the first time in his Juneteenth pop-out show, he altered the lyrics to diss Drake further, rapping:

“Give me Tupac’s ring back and I might give you a little respect.”

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UMG responds to Drake's lawsuit

On January 15, Universal Music Group issued a statement responding to Drake's lawsuit, which alleged the company “approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track” concerning Not Like Us. UMG dubbed the lawsuit "illogical" in a statement to Variety, adding:

“Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist – let alone Drake – is illogical. We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”

The label also accused Drake of attempting to limit artistic expression. It alleged the rapper was "weaponizing the legal process" for his personal gain when he had previously used the company to target his rivals in "conventionally outrageous back-and-forth 'rap battles.'"

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The defamation lawsuit came after Drake filed a petition in November 2024, accusing UMG, Spotify, and iHeartRadio of "artificially inflating" Not Like Us using bots and payola. However, Drake withdrew the petition before filing his suit. The lawsuit is ongoing at the time of writing this article, with Drake yet to respond to UMG's statement.