Drake’s legal team has escalated their lawsuit, now targeting Kendrick Lamar’s performance of the track “Not Like Us” during the 2025 Super Bowl.
This move comes as part of Drake’s broader defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) for their involvement in promoting the track, which Drake claims contains defamatory allegations of pedophilia.
The lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday takes aim at the massive Super Bowl audience, which saw more than 133 million viewers, including children, making the public broadcast of the song even more damaging.
A Public Performance with Alleged Defamation
The lawsuit’s amendment highlights that the performance, which aired during the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever, amounted to an orchestrated character assassination against Drake.
Even though Lamar removed the word “pedophile” during the performance, the lawsuit argues that the omission only further proves the defamatory nature of the content.
“It was the first, and we hope the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist,” the amended filing states.
Super Bowl’s Record-Breaking Audience and its Impact
The 2025 Super Bowl, held in New Orleans, was a record-breaking event, with the Philadelphia Eagles dominating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.
The halftime show, which included Kendrick Lamar’s performance, was viewed by millions around the world, contributing to the widespread exposure of the controversial song.
Drake’s legal team points out that this broadcast reached a huge, global audience—many of whom may have never encountered the track before.
The lawsuit argues that this public performance was harmful, considering the song’s defamatory content and the age of some of the viewers.
UMG’s Alleged Role in the Controversy
Drake’s lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, added that the amended complaint strengthens their case against Universal Music Group.
The suit claims that UMG used their financial influence and business connections to secure Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show spot and promoted the performance.
The lawsuit suggests that this manipulation played a significant role in the exposure of the defamatory allegations.
In response, UMG denied the accusations, calling Drake’s legal actions “foolish” and “frivolous.”
They emphasized the longstanding successful relationship between Drake and the label, but Drake’s representatives fired back, stating that the artist is “holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions.”
A Deeper Look at the Lawsuit’s Impact
The amended lawsuit also highlights the effect of “Not Like Us” beyond the Super Bowl.
The song was played at the Grammy Awards earlier in the year when it won multiple awards, including Song and Record of the Year.
The lawsuit claims that UMG played a part in securing the Grammy nominations and allowing the song to be showcased during the prestigious ceremony.
Drake had initially sued UMG in January, not Lamar, for publishing and promoting the song despite the pedophilia allegations.
His lawsuit cites the fallout from the track, which allegedly led to a violent incident at his Toronto home—a security guard was shot during a break-in attempt—and a wave of online harassment that damaged Drake’s reputation and brand value ahead of contract renegotiations with UMG.
Feud Between Two Hip-Hop Giants Continues to Escalate
The legal battle is the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, one of the most high-profile rivalries in recent hip-hop history.
The two artists, who were once collaborators, have traded public insults and diss tracks for years.
Lamar’s “Not Like Us” track was just the latest in a long line of verbal jabs between the two, and the legal fallout from it is now taking center stage.
Drake, a five-time Grammy winner, and Lamar, who has 22 Grammy awards and a Pulitzer Prize, have had a tense relationship for more than a decade.
It was in 2013 when Lamar first publicly criticized Drake, and the animosity has only deepened in recent years.
The dispute reached a peak in 2024, when both artists released diss tracks aimed at each other.
UMG Defends Their Actions, but the Legal Drama Continues
UMG has continued to defend its actions, stating in a court filing that Drake was simply upset over losing a rap battle he helped provoke.
The motion to dismiss the lawsuit further suggests that Drake’s decision to sue his record label is an attempt to cope with the emotional toll of his public feud with Lamar.
The case is far from over, with both sides preparing for a long and complicated legal battle.
Drake’s legal team has made it clear that they intend to pursue accountability for what they see as a serious misstep by UMG, while the music label continues to stand by its actions and defend the decision to promote Lamar’s controversial track.
Conclusion: A Bitter Conflict with Serious Legal Repercussions
As the lawsuit continues to unfold, both Drake and Kendrick Lamar remain at the center of a legal and public relations storm.
With millions of viewers exposed to the controversy, the stakes have only grown higher, and the outcome of this legal battle could have lasting implications for both artists and the music industry as a whole.