**A recent court ruling allows Drake to access Kendrick Lamar's contracts and financial information from Universal Music Group, as the rapper pursues a defamation lawsuit related to Lamar's controversial track "Not Like Us."**
**Drake Granted Access to Kendrick Lamar's Contracts Amid Defamation Battle**
**Drake Granted Access to Kendrick Lamar's Contracts Amid Defamation Battle**
**Legal dispute intensifies as Drake seeks document transparency from Universal Music Group in response to alleged defamation.**
Drake has been granted permission to access potentially damaging documents from Universal Music Group (UMG) in his defamation lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar over the song "Not Like Us." The Canadian rapper asserts that the lyrics present a "false and malicious narrative" implying that he is a paedophile, thus harming his reputation.
In a court hearing, Judge Jeannette A Vargas ruled in favor of continuing the discovery process, allowing Drake's legal team to obtain copies of Lamar's recording contract and salary details of UMG's senior executives. This follows UMG's previous motion to dismiss the case, labeling Drake's claims as unfounded and a misguided attempt to restrict Lamar's artistic expression.
Drake's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, expressed satisfaction with the discovery ruling, stating it would potentially unveil UMG's reservations regarding the case. UMG resisted the request for documentation, arguing it was an "unreasonable burden" and focused on the need to dismiss the case entirely before diving into evidence collection.
Lamar's controversial track, which he performed at the Super Bowl Half Time show, has been a pivotal point in the rivalry between the two hip-hop stars. Following a flurry of diss tracks exchanged last year—where Drake accused Lamar of domestic allegations, and Lamar countered with scathing critiques—Drake now seeks to use legal avenues to address his grievances.
In further filings, Drake claimed that UMG knowingly promoted Lamar's lyrics despite their falsehood, aimed at generating profit rather than protecting artists’ reputations. The lawsuit also levied allegations against UMG and Spotify for purportedly inflating streaming numbers for "Not Like Us," which both entities have denied.
UMG, which has maintained a partnership with Drake for over ten years, defended its actions, arguing that the claims were baseless, and emphasized his consent and participation in this long-standing artistic rivalry. They suggested that Drake is attempting to manipulate legal procedures to stifle creative expression within the music industry.
"Not Like Us" has enjoyed significant success, marking Kendrick Lamar's first UK number one single after his Super Bowl performance, further fueling the heated competition between the two megastars in the evolving landscape of hip-hop.
In a court hearing, Judge Jeannette A Vargas ruled in favor of continuing the discovery process, allowing Drake's legal team to obtain copies of Lamar's recording contract and salary details of UMG's senior executives. This follows UMG's previous motion to dismiss the case, labeling Drake's claims as unfounded and a misguided attempt to restrict Lamar's artistic expression.
Drake's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, expressed satisfaction with the discovery ruling, stating it would potentially unveil UMG's reservations regarding the case. UMG resisted the request for documentation, arguing it was an "unreasonable burden" and focused on the need to dismiss the case entirely before diving into evidence collection.
Lamar's controversial track, which he performed at the Super Bowl Half Time show, has been a pivotal point in the rivalry between the two hip-hop stars. Following a flurry of diss tracks exchanged last year—where Drake accused Lamar of domestic allegations, and Lamar countered with scathing critiques—Drake now seeks to use legal avenues to address his grievances.
In further filings, Drake claimed that UMG knowingly promoted Lamar's lyrics despite their falsehood, aimed at generating profit rather than protecting artists’ reputations. The lawsuit also levied allegations against UMG and Spotify for purportedly inflating streaming numbers for "Not Like Us," which both entities have denied.
UMG, which has maintained a partnership with Drake for over ten years, defended its actions, arguing that the claims were baseless, and emphasized his consent and participation in this long-standing artistic rivalry. They suggested that Drake is attempting to manipulate legal procedures to stifle creative expression within the music industry.
"Not Like Us" has enjoyed significant success, marking Kendrick Lamar's first UK number one single after his Super Bowl performance, further fueling the heated competition between the two megastars in the evolving landscape of hip-hop.
