UMG to Drake
Kendrick Never Said ‘Pedophile’ at SB …
Toss This Lawsuit, Judge!!!
Published
Drake‘s label says there’s a giant hole in the lawsuit he’s filed over Kendrick Lamar‘s “Not Like Us” … and they’re basically saying Drizzy should’ve paid closer attention to the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
As expected, Universal Music Group filed a motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit, and in the docs they point out Drake, or his lawyers, made a major misstep when they amended their lawsuit following Kendrick’s performance at Super Bowl LIX.
Apple Music/NFL
UMG says Drake’s lawsuit isn’t really about K Dot calling him a “certified pedophile” … because he didn’t even include those words during the performance. Now, the reality is the Superdome crowd did the damage itself, chanting the lyrics … but that’s not on Kendrick.
The label is also throwing Drake’s own words back at him — reminding him that about 3 years ago, he signed a public petition criticizing prosecutors for using rap lyrics as evidence in criminal cases against artists. UMG says “Drake was right then and is wrong now” … because his lawsuit is merely an “attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”
TMZ.com
UMG’s bottom line is … rap lyrics are hyperbole, not literal fact. Just as Drake rapped about Kendrick’s kid being fathered by another man, called him a domestic abuser and threatened to slit his throat with a razor — all lyrics from Drake’s “The Heart Part 6” — it’s exaggeration for the purpose of art.
The label is asking the judge to throw out Drake’s lawsuit. While that would end their legal war, it sure would make things awkward at their next business meeting.