UMG Claps Back at Drake’s Lawsuit Over Kendrick’s Super Bowl Set: “A Reaction to Defeat, Not Defamation”

In a sharp legal rebuttal, Universal Music Group (UMG) has moved to dismiss Drake’s amended defamation lawsuit, arguing that the rapper’s claims over Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance are legally baseless and rooted more in bruised ego than actual harm. The high-profile dispute centres around Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track Not Like Us, which aimed at Drake amid a fierce lyrical feud between the two artists in 2024. The track, which included the controversial line calling Drake a “certified pedophile,” became a chart-topping anthem widely regarded as a knockout in Kendrick Lamar’s favour.

In January 2025, Drake filed a lawsuit accusing UMG—his label—of spreading a “malicious narrative” by promoting the track, even though it painted him in a defamatory light. The suit, notably, does not name Kendrick Lamar as a defendant. Instead, it alleges that UMG knowingly amplified false allegations in violation of its obligations to Drake.

Last month, Drake updated the complaint to include Kendrick Lamar’s performance of Not Like Us during the Super Bowl halftime show. Although the word “pedophile” was omitted in the live version, Drake’s legal team argued that the insinuation remained—and that the decision to censor the lyric further confirmed its defamatory nature.

UMG rejected that argument in a motion filed this week,  calling the lawsuit “astonishing” and a thinly veiled attempt to discredit the “rap artist who defeated him.”

“The focus of Drake’s new claims—that the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show didn’t hear the word ‘pedophile’—betrays this case for what it is,” wrote UMG attorney Rollin Ransom. “It’s not about defamation; it’s about attacking the commercial and creative success of a rival.”

UMG also emphasised that diss tracks are part of hip-hop tradition, often filled with hyperbole and exaggerated insults that are protected under free speech. The company noted that Drake himself had hurled serious accusations at Kendrick Lamar—including alleged domestic abuse—during their feud.

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As for the Super Bowl performance, UMG argued that there are many plausible reasons for censoring a lyric during a high-profile live broadcast, ranging from network standards to legal caution, not necessarily an admission of defamation.

Drake’s revised complaint also retracts some of the most explosive claims from his initial filing, including allegations that UMG funded bots to inflate Kendrick Lamar’s streaming numbers. Those assertions have been replaced with references to anonymous social media posts and podcast speculation—moves UMG dismissed as flimsy and unsubstantiated.

Drake’s legal team is expected to respond in the coming weeks, after which the court will decide whether the lawsuit will proceed. If it does, it could test the boundaries of artistic freedom and corporate responsibility in an era where music feuds can escalate far beyond the studio.

For now, UMG is standing firm, arguing that Drake’s legal fight is less about damage to his reputation and more about the sting of public defeat. As the court battle unfolds, one thing is clear: the war of words between two of hip-hop’s biggest names has officially entered a new arena.