Drake has escalated his legal confrontation regarding Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us” by filing a lawsuit that accuses Lamar’s and his own music distributor of profiting from defamatory content in the diss track.

In a lawsuit submitted to a New York federal court on Wednesday, which was reported by YSL News, Drake’s attorneys asserted that Universal Music Group (UMG) has aimed to tarnish his reputation and transform him into a target for harassment despite their long-standing relationship of over ten years. They accused UMG of trying to “profit from damaging Drake’s reputation.”

The claims in the lawsuit include charges of defamation, second-degree harassment for promoting violence against him, and deceptive business practices. According to Drake, “Not Like Us” contains damaging falsehoods about him, alleging that he engages in inappropriate relationships with minors, human trafficking, and associates with sex offenders.

In response, UMG refuted Drake’s allegations, calling them “false.” A spokesperson stated that Drake is attempting to “manipulate the legal system to stifle an artist’s creativity and to seek damages from UMG for the distribution of that artist’s work.”

The Grammy-winning artist had earlier signaled his intent to take legal action last November by filing petitions in both New York and Texas. He alleged that Universal Music Group, Spotify, and iHeartRadio participated in an arrangement to boost Lamar’s “Not Like Us” on various streaming services. Drake requested the court to compel these companies to provide evidence related to his claims, known as pre-action discovery, in order to proceed with his lawsuit.

Here are some key details revealed in Drake’s 80-page lawsuit from January 15.

Shooting Incident Outside Drake’s Toronto Home

“Shortly after” the debut of “Not Like Us,” Drake asserts that he faced targeting from “multiple strangers,” at least one of whom was armed.

The lawsuit details that early on May 7, “a group of men” allegedly discharged at least two shots that penetrated the security perimeter of his residence in Toronto. One bullet struck a door while another “seriously” injured a security guard.

“Drake and others rushed to assist the injured man, trying to stop him from losing too much blood while waiting for an ambulance,” the lawsuit says. “His injuries were severe, and for two days, doctors were uncertain about his survival.”

Drake Withdraws Son From School Over Safety Issues

This shooting was reportedly followed the very next day by an attempted break-in at Drake’s home in Toronto, along with two separate breaches by a trespasser on May 9 and 11. Authorities indicated at the time that the suspect was taken into custody under the Ontario Mental Health Act and was not being treated as a criminal case.

“Such violent acts directed at his home, where Drake resides with his son, and his business, are unprecedented. Never before in his celebrity life has Drake experienced incidents like those in early May,” the lawsuit explained. “Drake has increased his security detail in Toronto and at all his locations.”

He also made the decision to withdraw his 7-year-old son, Adonis, from his Toronto school “due to safety worries” and arranged for both his son and mother to completely leave Toronto for the summer.

UMG Allegedly Tried to Undermine Drake’s Music Value

Drake, who has been with UMG since 2009, claimed that the label used “Not Like Us” as a bargaining chip as his recording contract neared its end.

“With Drake’s contract nearing completion, UMG realized that extending it would be expensive,” stated the filing. “By undermining the value of Drake’s music and brand, UMG sought to gain an advantage in pressuring Drake into signing a new contract on terms more beneficial to them.”

In contrast, Interscope Records – part of UMG and the label responsible for Lamar’s catalog – allegedly secured an exclusive licensing deal with Lamar’s independent label in 2024, as stated by Drake’s representatives. Universal Music Publishing Group holds the music publishing rights for both artists.

Interscope “had strong motives to ensure it could maximize Lamar’s sales, having only recently convinced him to enter a limited recording contract for new releases,” the lawsuit claimed.