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BEXAR COUNTY, TX – The legal showdown between Drake and Universal Music Group (UMG) is heating up as the music giant pushes back against the rapper’s pre-action petition filed in November.
On Thursday, January 23, UMG filed a motion in Bexar County, Texas, seeking to have Drake's claims tossed out, accusing him of insufficient evidence and asserting that his allegations of payola surrounding Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" should not even make it to trial.
In a dramatic twist, UMG argues that the "Hotline Bling" rapper has failed to provide concrete proof that the company engaged in the controversial practice of payola—illegally funneling money to radio stations to promote specific tracks.
According to the motion, Drake's petition lacks any substantial evidence to support his case and is based solely on "hearsay," which they argue should not be admissible in court.
“Because [Drake’s] petition is related to and was filed in response to UMG’s protected free speech, and because [Drake] cannot carry his burden to establish by clear and specific evidence that he is entitled to pre-suit discovery, the Court should dismiss [Drake’s] retaliatory legal action against UMG,” the filing states, suggesting that the petition is more about silencing UMG's right to free expression than any genuine legal claim.
In the ongoing dispute, Drake has alleged that UMG secretly orchestrated payments to radio stations in an effort to promote Kendrick Lamar’s diss track "Not Like Us," which the rapper claims unfairly targeted him. However, UMG insists that Drake’s petition is nothing more than an attempt to undermine their legal rights and limit the song's distribution.
The music conglomerate also argues that the rapper's petition violates state law, claiming that it was filed in the wrong court. UMG pointed out that Drake has already filed a federal defamation lawsuit in New York, and as such, there is no need for further discovery or a pre-suit investigation.
“Drake did not file [the petition] in a ‘proper court’ as required by state law,” UMG states in the motion, also referencing Drake’s earlier defamation lawsuit against the company filed in New York earlier this month. They accuse the Canadian rapper of attempting to use this Texas petition as a “strategic legal retaliation” to pressure UMG and curb the reach of Kendrick’s track.
In an even bolder move, UMG is asking the court not only to dismiss the petition but to require Drake to pay for the company’s legal fees, which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. UMG’s motion requests a hearing within the next 60 days, urging the court to suspend any discovery proceedings related to this matter until a ruling has been made on the petition's validity.
As tensions mount, Drake and his legal team have yet to publicly respond to UMG’s motion. However, a court hearing has already been scheduled for January 28 to determine whether the rapper will be allowed to depose UMG employees and those at iHeartMedia in connection with the case.
The hearing could be postponed if the judge rules to dismiss the petition or if a delay is granted, which would only add another layer of uncertainty to this increasingly complicated legal battle.
With both sides digging in their heels, it seems this feud is far from over. Fans of both artists—and of the music industry at large—are eagerly awaiting the next legal developments. Will Drake’s claims be upheld in court, or is this a case of nothing more than a media stunt? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: this isn’t the last we’ll hear of the drama between Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Universal Music Group.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing legal saga.
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