Drake Files Amended Complaint Against Universal Music Group

UPDATED — 10:47 AM 04/18/2025 A spokesperson for Drake issued the following statement in response to UMG’s statement regarding the rapper’s amended complaint.

“UMG’s latest statement is a desperate attempt to spin the narrative and deflect from the truth: Drake is holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions and doing so without fear,” reads the statement sent to BOSSIP. We dismissed the Texas discovery action because discovery will now proceed in New York. That’s not retreat, that’s victory. UMG dismissed its first amendment petition in Texas because it has no claim, that’s losing. And UMG knows the case against it is only getting stronger.

Drake welcomes discovery and has nothing to hide. It’s not Drake who should worry; it’s UMG’s current leadership. We look forward to hearing from Lucian Grainge, John Janick, and UMG employees under oath. UMG claims to stand for creativity, but in fact exploits it and the artist community knows that. UMG drains artists for its profits, then discards them. Drake joins a growing chorus of artists raising questions about UMG’s leadership. The public and artists should be concerned about recent headlines involving UMG’s largest stakeholder that only reinforces the need for transparency all the way up to the Board of Director’s level. UMG said, ‘be careful what you ask for,’ Drake knows exactly what he asked for: the truth and accountability.”

Below this line, the original story begins. ___________________________ Drake and his legal team are doubling down on their claims against Universal Music Group, insisting their promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” was a targeted attack.

On Wednesday, April 16, Complain Papi filed an amended complaint in his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The revised version of the complaint claims that the label used Kendrick Lamar’s wins at the Grammy Awards and performance of “Not Like Us,” during the Super Bowl Halftime Show to further promote the single and, in turn, damage Drake’s reputation. Variety reviewed the amended complaint that expands the January suit from 81 to 107 pages, focusing on events that have happened since the initial filing. The rapper’s legal team claims that Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show was shown to over 133 million people who had “never before heard the song or any of the songs that preceded it.”

“It was the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist,” the complaint reads.

The new complaint also incorporates how UMG made significant financial investments and leveraged its professional connections to arrange for the massive amplification of defamatory claims to those 133 million viewers of the Super Bowl and more than 15 million viewers of the Grammys. Drake goes on to allege that Lamar purposely excluded the word “pedophile” during his Super Bowl performance and that “on information and belief,” he would not have been permitted to perform unless it was omitted from the lyrics. Drake‘s team claims that UMG knowingly negotiated and promoted the Super Bowl performance after the initial lawsuit was filed, causing intentional harm to the Canadian musician. Michael Gottlieb, partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Drake’s lead attorney, issued the following statement, according to a release sent to BOSSIP:

“Drake’s amended complaint makes an already strong case stronger. UMG’s PR ‘spin’ and failed efforts to avoid discovery cannot suppress the facts and the truth. With discovery now moving forward, Drake will expose the evidence of UMG’s misconduct, and UMG will be held accountable for the consequences of its ill-conceived decisions.”

In response to the amended complaint filed against them, Universal Music Group issued a detailed statement to Variety, asserting that Drake is being misguided by his legal team into pursuing “one absurd legal step after another.”

“Drake, unquestionably one of the world’s most accomplished artists and with whom we’ve enjoyed a 16-year successful relationship, is being misled by his legal representatives,” the statement reads. “In Texas last November, his counsel instituted a legal proceeding with much fanfare and bluster. On Monday, they quietly dropped the case.”

The company continued, referencing a defamation suit filed in New York in January.

“Fearful of being sanctioned by the court for asserting false allegations, tonight they amended the complaint to withdraw them—only to add more baseless allegations,” UMG said to Variety.

UMG also criticized what Drake’s team had touted as a legal victory in a recent discovery motion.

“That ‘win’ will become a loss if this frivolous and reckless lawsuit is not dropped in its entirety because Drake will personally be subject to discovery as well. As the old saying goes, ‘be careful what you wish for.’”

The label concluded by framing both legal proceedings as harmful not only to Drake but to artists and creative freedom more broadly.

“Both the Texas and New York proceedings are an affront to all artists and creative expression. Should his legal representatives senselessly keep the New York lawsuit alive, we will demonstrate that all remaining claims are without merit,” the statement reads. “It is shameful that these foolish and frivolous legal theatrics continue. They are reputationally and financially costly to Drake and have no chance of success.”

Back in March, UMG filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, insisting that Drake was only taking legal action because he was upset that he “lost a rap battle.” A hearing for the suit dismissal is currently scheduled for June 30.