Hip Hop/ Rap
Drake Turns Up Legal Heat on UMG, Demands Kendrick Lamar’s Contract and Abuse Evidence
Drake is seeking evidence of alleged domestic violence and other crimes involving the Kendrick Lamar, claims that first surfaced during their fiery diss track exchange earlier this year.
The war of words between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has officially spilled into the courtroom — and now it’s getting even more personal. According to court filings, the Toronto rapper is pushing to obtain Kendrick Lamar’s full recording contract with Universal Music Group (UMG) without heavy redactions, along with financial documents detailing the value of Lamar’s music catalogue. Even more explosively, Drake is seeking evidence of alleged domestic violence and other crimes involving the Kendrick Lamar, claims that first surfaced during their fiery diss track exchange earlier this year.
The dispute stems from Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping hit “Not Like Us”, which Drake alleges contains defamatory statements portraying him as a pedophile. Drake claims UMG not only facilitated the song’s promotion through secret payments and reduced licensing deals, but did so to damage his brand during ongoing contract negotiations.
The feud began in 2023 after Drake’s collaboration with J. Cole, “First Person Shooter,” referred to the trio as the “big three” of rap. Lamar fired back with “Like That,” mocking the notion of equality between them. What followed was an all-out lyrical war, trading accusations of abuse, exploitation, and other personal attacks. Lamar’s West Coast anthem “Not Like Us” cemented his perceived victory in the court of public opinion — but Drake clearly isn’t ready to concede.
Drake’s legal team says the 22-page contract UMG provided for Kendrick Lamar was so heavily redacted that it was “virtually unreadable and incomprehensible.” They argue that unsealing the details, along with revenue and profit data from Interscope Records, is essential to proving that UMG acted with financial motives when promoting Lamar’s diss track.
View this post on Instagram
The rapper also alleges that UMG CEO Lucian Grainge played a direct role, fostering competition between labels under the company’s umbrella to push the feud — and profits — to new heights. Drake’s court filings request Grainge’s communications related to Kendrick Lamar, specifically around allegations of domestic abuse and violence.
One of Drake’s most incendiary claims appeared in his diss track “Family Matters,” in which he accuses Kendrick Lamar of domestic abuse of his wife and questioning paternity of Lamar’s son. “They hired a crisis management team to clean up the fact that you beat on your queen,” Drake rapped, escalating the feud from lyrical shots to deeply personal allegations.
UMG has denied Lucian Grainge’s involvement, maintaining that he had “no meaningful role” in the matters at hand. Discovery in the case is ongoing, and no trial date has yet been set.
With rap beefs rarely crossing into federal court, this battle between two of hip-hop’s biggest names could redefine how music industry rivalries play out — both on the mic and in the legal system.
