Drake has amended his defamation lawsuit against the Universal Music Group (UMG), pointing to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LVIII halftime show as a major reason his reputation took a hit.
In court documents filed late Wednesday, the Toronto rapper says Lamar’s performance of Not Like Us, a track full of subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at Drake, reignited the public accusations against him, particularly the claim that he’s a pedophile.
While Lamar didn’t use the word “pedophile” directly during the Super Bowl show, Drake argues that the message was crystal clear to the 133 million people watching.
In his lawsuit, Drake calls it “the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist.”
Drake goes on to argue that the performance, along with a similar moment at the Grammys earlier this year, really pushed forward what he calls a damaging and false narrative about him.
He’s also not happy about the continued promotion of Not Like Us, especially with lines like “Drake, I hear you like ’em young,” which he says has led to threats against him and his family.
The amended lawsuit also targets UMG for not stepping in to stop the spread of what he claims is defamatory content. Despite having the power to do so, Drake says the label’s inaction shows they either condoned it or were at least negligent.
UMG was quick to respond, denying Drake’s allegations, defending the importance of artistic freedom, and calling his legal actions “an affront to creative expression.”
“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,” UMG said in a statement on Thursday.
The tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has been a huge topic in hip-hop this year, with Not Like Us turning into a hit and a cultural lightning rod.
While many fans and critics have praised Lamar’s skill and stage presence, others—Drake included—are now questioning whether some of the song’s lyrics crossed the line between a diss track and defamation.
Photo Credit: Instagram – ChampagnePapi
