Drake files defamation suit against Universal over Kendrick Lamar track

Rapper Drake on Wednesday filed suit against his own label, saying Universal Music Group's release and promotion of a Kendrick Lamar track dissing him amounted to defamation and harassment.

UMG -- which is behind both Drake and Lamar -- adamantly denied the accusations, saying "the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist -- let alone Drake -- is illogical" given the company's longtime investment in helping him "achieve historic commercial and personal financial success."

Last year the two superstar rappers exchanged a litany of increasingly vitriolic diss tracks, with Lamar delivering the major blow with his chart-topping, Grammy-nominated song "Not Like Us."

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In his suit, Drake said Universal betrayed him in favor of profits by promoting the song with punchlines that accuse him of pedophilia.

In the documents filed in Manhattan's federal court and seen by AFP, Drake says Universal "approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track" that was "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response."

The Canadian artist born Aubrey Drake Graham, 38, says the record company chose "corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists."

The lawsuit cited the track's promotion as causing a "physical threat to Drake's safety" as well as a "bombardment of online harassment."

It cited a pre-dawn shooting last May that saw a gunman wound a security guard at the superstar rapper's estate in Toronto, and described subsequent break-in attempts.

"These events were not coincidental," the suit said, before detailing the defamation allegations.

- 'Monetize allegations' -

Drake -- the reigning highest-grossing rapper -- is not taking legal action against Lamar, and he is not suing over the lyrics themselves.

"This lawsuit is not about the artist who created 'Not Like Us,'" read the court documents. "It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous."

Drake's filing says Universal did so by promoting the song, but also the album image -- which Drake says features his actual house -- and a music video associated with the track.

Universal's Wednesday statement vowed to "vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation."

"We have not and do not engage in defamation," said the company.

The label noted that in the past Drake has "intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth 'rap battles' to express his feelings about other artists."

Filing suit now amounted to an effort to "weaponize the legal process to silence an artist's creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist's music," the company said.

- 'Cleverly dangerous lyrics' -

Drake's suit alleges that because the artist's current record deal with UMG is nearing expiration, the label is aiming to devalue his music -- what he dubbed a bid to lessen his bargaining power to renegotiate his contract.

Lamar, meanwhile, was under a short-term deal with the company extended last year.

"Not Like Us" is up for five Grammys at the annual gala early next month, including the prizes for the year's best record and best song.

Lamar, 37, is also due to helm the exceedingly high-profile Super Bowl halftime show later February in New Orleans.

"UMG's campaign was successful. The recording cloaks cleverly dangerous lyrics behind a catchy beat and inviting hook," reads the suit.

"Capitalizing on those attributes, UMG used every tool at its disposal to ensure that the world would hear that Drake 'like 'em young.'"

Proving defamation requires that a publisher knowingly distributed false information.

The suit emphasizes that Universal wouldn't have maintained the long-standing business relationship with Drake it has if it believed he engaged in pedophilia or sex abuse.