Drake appears unfazed by the legal risks associated with discovery in his ongoing defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. A spokesperson for the rapper says he “has nothing to hide,” framing the battle as a pursuit of truth and transparency.
The response comes days after UMG warned that discovery could backfire on Drake, exposing him to intense scrutiny.
“Drake welcomes discovery and has nothing to hide,” his team said in a statement to Music Business Worldwide. “It’s not Drake who should worry; it’s UMG’s current leadership. We look forward to hearing from Lucian Grainge, John Janick, and UMG employees under oath.”
The legal tension escalated after Drake filed an amended complaint last week. The updated 107-page suit accuses UMG of orchestrating a campaign to damage his reputation, citing Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime performance as part of that strategy. During the show, the NFL muted Lamar’s use of the phrase “certified pedophile”—a move Drake’s lawyers described as a targeted, defamatory act masked as entertainment.
UMG dismissed the amended claims as reckless and warned that discovery could expose Drake in unexpected ways. The company called his latest legal win—a procedural step in the discovery phase—hollow, saying it “will become a loss” unless the suit is withdrawn. But Drake’s camp remains defiant.
“They’re trying to spin the narrative,” the spokesperson said. “Drake is holding the world’s biggest music corporation accountable, and he’s doing it without fear.”
UMG also noted that a prior suit filed in Texas last November was “quietly dropped” earlier this month. Drake’s team offered a different interpretation.
“We dismissed the Texas discovery action because discovery will now proceed in New York. That’s not retreat—that’s victory,” the spokesperson said. “UMG dismissed its First Amendment petition in Texas because it had no case. That’s losing. And they know the case against them is only growing stronger.”
The amended complaint no longer includes the earlier explosive claim that a “whistleblower” accused Interscope of purchasing 30 million Spotify streams for Lamar using bots. Instead, it alleges that UMG knew of such activity and failed to intervene. “At minimum, UMG was aware that third parties were using bots to stream the recording and turned a blind eye,” the filing states.
UMG argues that these revisions show hesitation by Drake’s team, calling it an attempt to avoid sanctions for filing false claims. Drake’s team sees it differently.
“UMG told us to be careful what we ask for,” his rep said. “Drake knows exactly what he asked for: the truth and accountability.”
With legal discovery now shifting to New York, the stakes are higher—and the war between one of music’s biggest stars and its most powerful label shows no sign of slowing.
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