Disorganized Motion To Dismiss? UMG Responds To Drake’s Defamation Lawsuit

As anticipated, Universal Music Group has filed a motion to dismiss Drake’s defamation claim against the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” The world’s largest music corporation submitted its initial court filing on Monday, 17 March, and indeed, they launched a strong counterattack.

“According to UMG, Drake, known as one of the most successful recording artists of all time, provoked and then willingly engaged in a rap battle he ultimately lost.” He has filed a lawsuit against his record label, supposedly to mitigate his disappointment, yet his claim lacks validity and should be dismissed without any chance of revisiting the case.

The filing commenced with a quote from Drake’s 2009 hit song, “Successful”, in which he raps, “Yeah, I want it all, that’s why I strive for it / Diss me, you’ll never hear a reply for it.” The label’s lawyers managed to make the 32-page legal document somewhat engaging if nothing else.

The attorneys countered in their response, stating that “Not Like Us” is protected under the First Amendment, which safeguards legitimate artistic expression from undue suppression. The critics also focused on the visual companion’s over-the-top imagery, which included a striking scene of Lamar smashing an owl-shaped piñata and quietly confiding in a clown that he is haunted by visions of the dead.

The point UMG made is that “Not Like Us” didn’t come into existence without any prior influence. According to them, Drake’s involvement contributed to intensifying the rivalry, with both rappers exchanging more and more bitter accusations. The lawsuit documentation mentioned the Canadian artist’s accusations concerning Lamar’s family, including allegations that his son is not biologically his and that he physically mistreats his fiancée, Whitney Alford, in songs such as “Family Matters” and “THE HEART PART 6.”

In a related legal document, Universal Music Group’s lawyers reiterate Drake’s position on his own rap lyrics being presented in court. According to the motion, less than three years ago, Drake signed a public petition that expressed his criticism of the practice where prosecutors use artists’ creative expressions, specifically rap lyrics, as literal fact against them.

In connection with this, he and several other musicians supported the 2022 ‘Art on Trial: Protect Black Art’ petition, which garnered backing for Young Thug during his high-profile RICO trial. Drake’s lawsuit is distinct from Young Thug’s case, so it will be intriguing to see whether this argument proves valid in court.