Drake filed a massive lawsuit today against Universal Music Group, laying the groundwork for the NFL to be added if they air Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” during the Superbowl, Media Take Out has learned.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court, Drake sued Universal Music Group, the record label behind the rappers, for defamation and harassment, calling its release and promotion of “Not Like Us” an example of valuing “corporate greed over safety.” and public health.” “Be its artists.”
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, accuses Universal of having “approved, disseminated and launched a campaign to create a widely successful song from a rap track” that “purports to convey the specific, unequivocal and false factual allegation that Drake is a felon pedophilia, and indicating that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response.
In the lawsuit, Drake revealed that the cover art for “Not Like Us” displays an image of Drake’s home in Toronto dotted with signs meant to represent the presence of registered sex offenders. The complaint alleges that as a result, a shooting occurred at Drix’s residence days after the song’s release that injured a security guard — calling it “the 2024 equivalent of ‘Pizzagate'” — and cites two more attempted trespassing in the days that followed. .
The lawsuit was filed on Drake’s behalf by Michael J. Gottlieb, a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, who previously represented the owner of a Washington pizzeria targeted by “Pizzagate” conspiracy theorists and election workers who were falsely accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of aiding a false conspiracy. To steal the 2020 presidential election.
In November, Drake began pre-litigation proceedings against Universal in state court in New York and Texas, naming Spotify and radio conglomerate iHeartMedia as potential participants in an elaborate scheme to promote “Not Like Us” using bots and Payola. On Tuesday, Drake’s representatives withdrew their previous lawsuit in New York against Universal and Spotify in favor of the federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday. A hearing in the Texas case, which involves iHeartMedia, has been postponed until later this month.
The lawsuit specifically points to the fact that Universal is working with the NFL to play the song during Superbowl Halftime. The lawsuit suggests the NFL could also be liable if it did.
[social_warfare]
