Following the resolution of his legal clash with iHeartMedia over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” Drake is pressing Universal Music Group to disclose information across several areas, accusing the label of making unlawful payments to the radio giant to inflate the diss track’s airplay.
On Tuesday (March 4), Judge Jeanette Vargas dismissed UMG’s request to stall discovery in a defamation suit alleging it engineered a viral hit. The ruling followed Drake’s Texas court motion to depose a UMG executive and obtain records clarifying whether the label acted as a conduit or discreetly bankrolled radio promotion. Drake’s legal team addressed the verdict in a statement provided to HOT 97: “We are pleased with the Court’s decision to reject UMG’s continued attempts to stall discovery—another clear sign that UMG cannot run from or bury the truth. This ruling, along with our motion for discovery in Texas yesterday, together represent major steps forward in holding UMG accountable to shareholders and artists for their repeated and egregious actions.”
Drake Fights UMG in Court, Demands Discovery on “Payola” Claims
Shifting gears, in Texas state court, UMG moved to throw out Drake’s petition under the Texas Citizens Participation Act—a law designed to quickly block lawsuits curbing free speech—claiming its promotion of “Not Like Us” falls under First Amendment protections.
Drake, citing the same statute, argues he’s entitled to discovery to challenge whether UMG qualifies for those safeguards. His demands include deposing a company executive on the label’s marketing strategy, promotional deals with iHeartMedia and streaming platforms, influencer partnerships, and financial statements detailing profits tied to the song. In the court documents, viewed by HOT 97, it read, “Without this discovery, Drake cannot fairly test or refute the factual basis for UMG’s claims that, for example, it was acting merely as a ‘clearinghouse’ in promoting the song, or that it was not doing so in its ‘capacity as a seller’ of goods or services,” wrote John Zavitsanos, one of Drake’s attorneys.
Additionally, a recent development may strengthen Drake’s case against UMG in the Southern District of New York. The Federal Communications Commission revealed last week it is investigating whether iHeartMedia is pressuring artists to perform at its upcoming country music festival for little or no pay, potentially violating regulations that mandate broadcasters disclose payments tied to airplay. This investigation ties into Drake’s “payola” lawsuit against UMG, which accuses the label of secretly paying radio stations to promote “Not Like Us” while withholding this information from the public.
Leave a Reply