Drake’s legal team filed motions on August 12, 2025, demanding Universal Music Group (UMG) disclose internal communications from CEO Sir Lucian Grainge and Kendrick Lamar’s unredacted record contract, alleging UMG improperly promoted Lamar’s diss track ‘Not Like Us.’ The filings claim UMG deliberately withheld evidence central to Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the label.
Drake (legally Aubrey Graham) initiated this legal battle against UMG, his own label group, earlier in 2025. He accuses UMG subsidiaries Republic Records (his label) and Interscope Records (Lamar’s label) of conspiring to boost Lamar’s track, which labeled Drake a ‘certified pedophile.’ The lawsuit argues this constituted defamation and deceptive business practices.
Attorney Michael Gottlieb filed the new motions in New York federal court on Tuesday morning. They specifically demand access to Grainge’s emails and texts about ‘Not Like Us,’ asserting the CEO personally approved the song’s release and promotion. Gottlieb contends UMG has ‘unfairly shielded’ Grainge despite his alleged central role in the controversy.
The motions also challenge UMG’s production of Lamar’s heavily redacted Interscope contract, calling it ‘unreadable and incomprehensible.’ Drake’s team seeks the full document to examine financial incentives behind the diss track’s promotion. Additionally, they requested Interscope’s profit reports and compensation details for CEO John Janick.
Gottlieb argues UMG had commercial motives to damage Drake’s reputation, citing Grainge’s ‘well-known encouragement of competition between labels’ and upcoming contract renegotiations with Drake. The filing suggests UMG censored past defamatory content (referencing Pusha T’s 2018 Drake diss) but deliberately promoted Lamar’s track.
UMG has consistently denied wrongdoing, framing the lawsuit as Drake’s attempt to ‘save face’ after losing a high-profile rap battle. The label maintains Grainge had ‘no meaningful involvement’ in the song’s release. A judge is currently weighing UMG’s motion to dismiss the entire case.
This discovery battle could expose sensitive music industry practices regarding artist conflicts and label responsibilities. If Drake prevails, it may force labels to disclose internal decision-making around diss tracks. Should the case survive UMG’s dismissal motion, depositions of executives including Grainge would follow later this year.
