A NYC judge denied UMG’s request to delay the discovery process in the legal proceedings against Drake on Wednesday morning.
Drake won a key battle Wednesday morning in his case against his label, Universal Music Group (UMG). A judge in New York denied the company’s request to delay discovery in the case, setting the stage for the Toronto rapper’s team to begin the discovery process, which could include deposing key executives and requesting document production, notably information contracts, expenses and promotional budgets, etc. related to Kendrick Lamar and UMG.
Drake’s case against UMG stems from his year-long beef with rapper Kendrick Lamar. In March 2024, Lamar was featured on the song “Like That” from Future and Metro Boomin’s joint album, “We Don’t Trust You,” where he shut down the idea that there was a Big-3 in rap (a nod to J. Cole’s verse on Drake’s song “First Person Shooter” where the North Carolina rapper proclaimed that he, Drake and Kendrick were rap’s Big 3). That verse set off a back-and-forth leading to Kendrick Lamar releasing the biggest hit of his career, a diss track that calls Drake a pedophile, among other claims — “Not Like Us.” Lamar would eventually perform the song at the Super Bowl in February 2025 in New Orleans.
In November 2024, Drake filed legal actions against both UMG and iHeartRadio, alleging that both companies promoted Lamar’s record through shady industry practices in an attempt to elevate the Lamar record to devalue the Drake brand, and in the case of UMG, effectively devaluing one of their own marquee artists (Drake) in favor of another (Lamar). Drake’s case against iHeartMedia was settled, but Drake’s legal action against UMG eventually graduated to a full lawsuit which also included a defamation claim; Drake claims that Lamar’s song features lyrics about him presented as facts that were untrue and damaging to his brand.
Wednesday’s ruling begins the process of Drake’s legal team’s plan to investigate UMG’s records to determine if Lamar’s song was promoted unfairly at Drake’s expense.
Drake’s lead attorney, Michael Gottlieb, said in response to the ruling, via statement, “Now it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide.”
Currently, Drake’s “Nokia” is the #6 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart; Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther” featuring SZA occupies the #1 slot. The song in contention, “Not Like Us,” is the #8 song on the same chart.
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