Drake files more legal docs, accuses UMG of defamation over ‘Not Like Us’

Drake has continued his courtroom combat against Universal Music Group, filing much ineligible documents related to the merchandise of Kendrick Lamar’s smash deed “Not Like Us.”

In a pre-lawsuit filing Monday night, Drake accused UMG — which besides distributes his euphony — of defamation for releasing “Not Like Us,” according to Billboard.

The documents absorption connected the song’s statement of Drake arsenic a “certified pedophile,” Billboard reported. The Canadian rapper has denied those allegations.

Drake’s filing argues that UMG had the powerfulness to halt the merchandise of “Not Like Us” and forestall the mendacious claims from spreading, but alternatively chose to boost the opus into a No. 1 hit, according to Billboard. Lamar himself was not named arsenic a imaginable suspect successful either of Drake’s ineligible actions and has not responded publicly.

The archetypal filing came Monday day successful Manhattan and accused UMG and Spotify of artificially inflating the popularity of “Not Like Us” done bots, payola and different schemes. Both filings were not ceremonial lawsuits but pre-litigation actions, which are utilized to pass parties astir imaginable upcoming lawsuits.

Drake’s 2nd acceptable of documents was filed Monday nighttime successful Texas. Along with UMG, the docs besides accuse iHeartRadio of participating successful a scheme to summation the popularity of “Not Like Us.”

“The proposition that UMG would bash thing to undermine immoderate of its artists is violative and untrue,” a UMG spokesperson said successful a connection aft the New York filing. “No magnitude of contrived and absurd ineligible arguments successful this pre-action submission tin disguise the information that fans take the euphony they privation to hear.”

Both ineligible filings came connected the archetypal concern time aft Lamar released a astonishment album, “GNX,” that continued to prod Drake successful respective lines.