Drake ’s feud withKendrick Lamarhas taken an unexpected twist into the courtroom . Much of 2024 has been command by headlines revolving around the two artist , with both men sending each other verbal jab through multiple strain . It was K. Dot ’s " Not Like Us " that those following the gripe considered a profits for Kendrick . Except , now , the song has created something bigger than whack .

Billboardfirst broke the story that Drake has now induct legal action against Universal Music Group , alleging that the music recording label conspired to by artificial means balloon the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar ’s " Not Like Us . " In accession , he ’s broach a 2d legal military action of defamation against UMG , under the pretense that UMG distributed the song despite experience Kendrick ’s call featured allegation of criminality against Drake .

It ’s a rather complex case that Drake is involved in , and one that Kendrick Lamar is n’t as involved in as some may suppose . A breakdown is necessary to fully realize the intricacy of this position .

BTS posing for the cover of their Proof album

How The Beef Between Kendrick Lamar And Drake Began

On October 6 , 2023 , Drake released his eighth studio apartment record album , For All the Dogs , where the sixth track of the project was " First Person Shooter " featuring J. Cole . Both artists assert themselves at the top of the rap intellectual nourishment Ernst Boris Chain in any G.O.A.T. conversation . Cole in special stated that himself , Drake , and Kendrick were the Big Three of hip hop , with J. Cole implying he was the best of the three .

erotic love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K. Dot , is it Aubrey , or me ? / We the swelled three like we started a league / But right now , I finger like Muhammad Ali

Kendrick encourage the competitive venom in Cole ’s phonation , because in March for Future and Metro Boomin ’s collab album , WE DON’T TRUST YOU , Dot responded in his poetry .

Artist Warren Zevon plays his guitar and sings into a microphone during a live performance.

Kendrick Lamar discredit Cole and Drake " clickin ' up " just to sneak Dis him on the strain . append that there could be no Big Three when " it ’s just Big Me , " Lamar sends a direct shot at Drake , who on " First Person Shooter " compared himself to Michael Jackson . Kendrick compared himself to one illustrious Minnesotan , prompt everyone that " Prince outlived Mike Jack . “J. Cole would in public remove himself from the gripe , turning it into Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar .

Drake and Kendrick Lamar started to switch song response back and forth at each other . After songs like " euphoria,“it quickly became unmistakable that their kick with each other was bigger than music . Francis Drake get the gloves off by remark Kendrick ’s children and wife ( who Drake allege to have had an thing with Dave Free , the co - founding father of Kendrick ’s pgLang company ) . This prompted Kendrick to accuse Drake of being a deadbeat and imply he ’s a paedophile on " meet the grahams . " 14 hours later , those claims became more pronounced upon dropping " Not Like Us , " the large phonograph record of the summer .

Why Is Drake Suing UMG Over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us?”

Beef Bigger Than Rap

In a pre - action petition ( meaning this is n’t a full causa yet ) filed out of a Manhattan court by Drake ’s Frozen Moments LLC , the LLC accuses UMG of using payola and bot ( among other resources ) to lawlessly advance the number on " Not Like Us . " Drake ’s filing break down the view :

" cyclosis and licensing is a zero - nitty-gritty game . Every time a Song dynasty ' breaks through , ' it means another creative person does not . UMG ’s pick to saturate the music market with ' Not Like Us ' comes at the expense of its other artists , like Drake . "

Varietyreport that UMG has been say to have attempt to license the Song dynasty at"drastically thin rates to Spotify and using ' bot ' to return the false impression that the birdcall was more popular than it was in world . “The orison also alleges that UMG"have used similar tactic with other streaming services . On data and impression , UMG paid , or approved payments to , Apple Inc. to have its voice - activated digital assistant ' Siri ' purposely misdirect drug user to ' Not Like Us . ‘“Drake ’s attorneys are exact UMG breach the same RICO Act used in organized crime case .

The background is black. This is white triangle in the middle. A white line comes off the left side of the triangle and a rainbow comes off the right side with the color’s red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

Universal contested the allegations in a statement :

" The hypnotism that UMG would do anything to countermine any of its creative person is nauseous and out of true . We employ the highest honourable pattern in our marketing and promotional campaigns . No amount of contrived and absurd legal argument in this pre - action compliance can mask the fact that fans take the music they need to hear . "

What Does This Mean For The Music Industry If Drake Wins?

A Potentially Big Ripple Effect Across The Industry

In unretentive , Drake is not suing Kendrick Lamar for anything alleged in the Sung dynasty , but has vision set on the label for distributing the call in malice of what he says are simulated claims and incorrectly inflating hearing number . societal media users have already been quick to respond to the shocking move , despite Drake ’s right hand to champion himself , and preserve his legacy .

Whether Drake is successful , or seeks further effectual action , it ’s important to entertain the question of his victory and the ramifications . Well , for starters , as another UMG labelmate , it puts Drake ’s own success under scrutiny . Beyond that , this could prove to be a major bound in disclose backdoor pattern of phonograph recording recording label that hurt other creative person , potentially placing mete in place to preclude standardised means . Still , though , it ’s an uphill battle for Drake , as with or without the number , most agreeKendrick Lamar’ssong was organically successful and played everywhere .

Source : Billboard , Variety

Kendrick Lamar in Not Like Us

Born in 1987 , Kendrick Duckworth Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize - winning rapper well have a go at it for instill pelvis record hop with experimental sound . He induces a Compton , California flavor into each of his Song , whether he ’s croon on utterly emotional record like " Sing About Me / Dying of Thirst " or straight-out club bangers , such as " Not Like Us . "

Drake in First Person Shooter

Born in 1987, Kendrick Duckworth Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper best known for infusing hip hop with experimental sounds. He induces a Compton, California flavor into each of his songs, whether he’s crooning on utterly emotional records like “Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst” or outright club bangers, such as “Not Like Us."

Headshot Of Kendrick Lamar

Born in 1987, Kendrick Duckworth Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper best known for infusing hip hop with experimental sounds. He induces a Compton, California flavor into each of his songs, whether he’s crooning on utterly emotional records like “Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst” or outright club bangers, such as “Not Like Us."

Kendrick Lamar