Drake’s legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) is heating up, as the rapper’s legal team has submitted a 63-person witness list in his defamation lawsuit against the label — a case stemming from allegations that UMG conspired to artificially amplify Kendrick Lamar’s explosive diss track, “Not Like Us.”
The lawsuit, which centers around Kendrick’s claim that Drake is a “certified pedophile” — a label the Canadian artist vehemently denies — took a significant turn after Billboard reported that Drake filed his initial disclosure on June 2, though it only became public on July 14.
The sprawling list includes several UMG executives, with CEO Sir Lucian Grainge identified as a key source of information regarding “all causes of action” in the lawsuit. Also named are Dave Free, former president of Top Dawg Entertainment (Lamar’s longtime label), and Anthony Saleh, Kendrick’s current manager. However, Kendrick Lamar himself is notably absent from Drake’s side of the witness list.
Drake’s legal team has also subpoenaed major streaming platforms — including Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, Spotify, and TIDAL — seeking information on UMG’s promotion, licensing, and alleged “covert tactics” used to push the defamatory track. Social platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram, along with entities such as the NFL, Fox, and Roc Nation — tied to the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show — are also being drawn into the legal fray.
In contrast, UMG’s own witness list is short — only nine names — but it includes both Drake and Kendrick Lamar. UMG’s legal counsel maintains that Kendrick holds vital information on the creation, distribution, and promotion of the controversial recording and video.
The lawsuit comes amid the rollout of Drake’s next album, Iceman. He dropped the lead single, “What Did I Miss?”, on July 4th, his first major solo release since his high-profile lyrical feud with Kendrick Lamar in 2024 and his 2023 album, For All the Dogs. Although the project has no official release date yet, Drake has confirmed it will arrive before the end of 2025.
The case, and its ever-expanding cast of characters, promises to keep attention on both artists — and the legal and music industries — for the foreseeable future.
