Drake has expanded his legal battle against Universal Music Group (UMG), alleging that he was defamed on the world’s biggest stages—this year’s Super Bowl halftime show and the Grammy Awards—due to the broadcast and promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
In newly filed court documents, Drake asserts that these high-profile events introduced millions of new viewers to the song’s damaging allegations, resulting in a surge of threats against him and his family.
The controversy centres on Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” a track that accuses Drake of predatory behaviour—a claim Drake vehemently denies. During the Super Bowl halftime show, watched by a record-breaking 133 million people, Lamar performed the song but omitted the word “pedophile” from the lyrics.
Drake’s legal team argues that this omission itself was an admission of the lyric’s defamatory nature, and that the performance, which included other suggestive lines, was orchestrated to assassinate Drake’s character in front of a massive, global audience.
Drake’s amended lawsuit also points to the 2025 Grammy Awards, where “Not Like Us” won five awards, including Song and Record of the Year. Clips of the track were played multiple times during the ceremony, exposing the allegations to even more viewers. Drake claims UMG used its influence to secure both Lamar’s headlining Super Bowl slot and the Grammy wins, further amplifying the song’s reach and impact.
While Kendrick Lamar is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, Drake’s legal action is focused on UMG, which he accuses of intentionally promoting the song for financial gain, despite knowing its content was false and harmful.
UMG has dismissed the lawsuit as “frivolous and reckless,” arguing that Drake willingly participated in the public feud and is now trying to litigate the outcome after losing a rap battle he helped provoke.
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, remains ongoing, with UMG moving to dismiss the case and both sides preparing for discovery. The legal dispute underscores the escalating stakes of high-profile music feuds in the digital age—and how the world’s biggest stages can become battlegrounds for personal and professional reputations.