Here's why Drake is taking Kendrick's diss track 'Not Like Us' to court

Updated  November 26, 2024 3:41pm EST

NEW YORK - The rap world is heated once again, just days after the surprise release of Kendrick Lamar's highly anticipated album "GNX." 

Now, the rivalry between Kendrick and Drake has escalated from streaming platforms to the New York and Texas court systems.

This time, it’s not just about lyrics—it's about alleged business dealings behind the music.

Aubrey "Drake" Graham, the 38-year-old Canadian rapper and five-time Grammy winner, is accusing Universal Music Group—home to both artists—of boosting the Spotify popularity of Kendrick Lamar's song while also claiming the track is defamatory.

This comes nearly two months before Lamar is set to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans. 

In a separate petition in a Texas court, Drake is also alleging that UMG "funneled payments" to iHeartRadio as a "pay-to-play scheme" to make "Not Like Us" a hit, according to Billboard.

The filing reportedly claims that UMG knew the song included allegations calling Drake a "certified pedophile" and "predator"—claims he and his lawyers deny—but still allowed the song's release.

Similar to the New York court filing Drake’s lawyers submitted Monday, the Texas filing is not a lawsuit, but a petition claiming to have sufficient cause to file suits.

It all began after when Kendrick released the diss track "Not Like Us," which challenged Drake's claim to the title of "greatest rapper alive." 

In the song, which has racked up over 900 million plays on Spotify, K. Dot taunts Drake with lines like: "Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young, You better not ever go to cell block one."

Drake claims the record company "launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, "Not Like Us," in order to make that song go viral, including by using ‘bots’ and pay-to-play agreements."

The filing claimed the company and Spotify "have a long-standing, symbiotic business relationship" and alleges that UMG offered special licensing rates to Spotify for the song.

When "Not Like Us" dropped in May, it quickly went viral, sparking heated discussions on social media, with many Drake fans even admitting that Kendrick had seemingly won the battle. 

But Drake isn't backing down. 

His company, Frozen Moments LLC, is demanding the preservation of evidence that could potentially lead to a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), the distributor for both Drake and Lamar's labels. 

The petition even accuses UMG of firing employees loyal to Drake in a bid to cover up the move.

Universal Music Group fired back with a statement, calling the accusations "offensive and untrue."

According to UMG, "no amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear."

This legal drama adds a new chapter to one of the most intense feuds in hip-hop. 

While Drake and Lamar were collaborators early in their careers, their relationship soured over the years, with Lamar taking public shots at Drake as far back as 2013.

 The tension reached new heights this year, and now their dispute has gone from lyrical barbs to legal battles.

 This court move, though not yet a full-fledged lawsuit, marks a major escalation in their rivalry—and it involves some of the most powerful players in the music industry.

Only time will tell if this court battle will have a lasting impact on their careers, but one thing is clear: this is no ordinary rap beef.

 It’s a high-stakes showdown between two of hip-hop's biggest icons—and the business behind their music.