The civil lawsuit filed by Drake towards Common Music Group (UMG) is underway, with each side now submitting lists of potential witnesses. In a transfer that’s elevating eyebrows throughout the business, UMG has notably referred to as for each Drake and his most up-to-date rival, Kendrick Lamar, to testify in courtroom throughout Drizzy’s “Not Like Us” civil lawsuit.
Drake initially filed his lawsuit towards UMG in January 2025, accusing the music large of knowingly defaming him. His criticism facilities on Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss monitor, “Not Like Us,” which famously refers to Drake as a “baby predator.” Drake alleges that UMG not solely distributed this tune but in addition promoted it by means of “unlawful means.”
UMG, for its half, has vehemently denied these claims, asserting that the notion they might “search to hurt the status of any artist — not to mention Drake — is illogical.” They’ve additionally been actively pushing for the decide to dismiss the case solely. Regardless of their efforts, the lawsuit continues to maneuver ahead.
“Plaintiff, some of the profitable recording artists of all time, misplaced a rap battle that he provoked and during which he willingly participated,” UMG’s legal professionals write within the submitting. “As an alternative of accepting the loss just like the unbothered rap artist he usually claims to be, he has sued his personal report label in a misguided try to salve his wounds.”
The authorized chess match intensified on Monday, July 14. In accordance with XXL Magazine, each side introduced their lists of people who may probably be subpoenaed to testify. Drake’s authorized workforce submitted a sprawling listing of 63 people and entities, signaling a wide-ranging inquiry into how “Not Like Us” gained traction and its influence.
UMG Civil Lawsuit: The Witness Listing Showdown
Drake’s in depth listing of potential witnesses contains the rapper himself, in addition to high business executives resembling UMG CEO Lucian Grange, Interscope advertising president Steve Berman, and Republic Information CEO Monte Lipman. His authorized workforce can be looking for info from main streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, YouTube, SoundCloud, and TikTok. Moreover, entities linked to Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present efficiency, such because the NFL and Roc Nation, are additionally on Drake’s radar. Drake’s legal professionals are seemingly aiming to uncover any alleged “covert ways to advertise the Defamatory Materials.” Notably, Drake’s workforce has listed Kojo Menne Asamoah, whom they declare used such ways, however they’ve been unable to find or serve him regardless of hiring non-public investigators.
In stark distinction to Drake’s in depth listing, UMG has filed a significantly shorter listing containing simply 9 names. Nevertheless, the inclusion of two particular names on UMG’s listing has captured everybody’s consideration: Drake himself and Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar’s supervisor, Anthony Saleh, can be named. This transfer is especially vital as a result of Lamar isn’t listed as a defendant within the lawsuit.
UMG’s legal professionals argue that Lamar “is more likely to have discoverable info regarding the creation of the recording, picture, and video and the distribution and promotion of the recording and video.”
The authorized groups’ methods trace at a high-stakes courtroom showdown. Whereas Drake claims the lawsuit is about UMG cashing in on “harmful misinformation” and “artificially inflat[ing]” the tune’s recognition, UMG maintains Drake is just “weaponiz[ing] the authorized course of to silence an artist’s inventive expression” after “shedding a rap battle.”
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