Drake-UMG Court Hearing Dives Into Context And Success Of Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'

Yahoo

10-07-2025

In the court of public opinion, Drake is viewed as disrespecting the essence of Hip-Hop by suing Universal Music Group for defamation by publishing and promoting Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us.' In an actual court hearing this past week, the judge examined both sides' arguments, which yielded a few humorous moments.
UMG is looking to get the case dismissed, which prompted the hearing between the Toronto rapper's legal team and the label's representatives on Monday (June 30). Drizzy's side called the content slanderous and claims the massive promotional efforts, including the Super Bowl, were intentionally done to lower his value and assassinate his character. UMG argues that the song was hyperbolic, much like many diss songs throughout Hip-Hop history.
At one point in the hearing, they were discussing the 'Certified pedophile' line. UMG's lawyer, Rollin Ransom, reduced it to a play on the 6 God's 2021 album title Certified Lover Boy, and Judge Jeannette Vargas asked if the average listener would understand the wordplay or simply see it as an accusation. UMG's side admitted that the context had to do with rumors of the multi-time Grammy winner having inappropriate relationships with underage women.
Michael Gottlieb, Drake's lawyer, brought up how UMG made the record 'more culturally ubiquitous than any other,' citing its 9 billion streams and the fact that it has played at bar mitzvahs. Judge Vargas called any bar mitzvah that would play the song 'interesting,' causing people in the courtroom to laugh. Gottlieb also mentioned how the 'Not Like Us' cover art was an image of the father of one's home with sex offender location tags. Judge Vargas countered by bringing up how Drake suggested that Lamar's kids were not his.
As for botting, Gottlieb alleged that 10% of the streams for 'Not Like Us' are false, citing a popular podcaster who accused them of using bots. He also mentioned their other alleged efforts to increase the visibility of the song, such as whitelisting, tampered search results, and payola. Judge Vargas was curious about how botting can be damaging, to which Gottlieb said that every other artist on the platform is 'injured' in the form of lower compensation.
A spokesperson for Drake shared the following statement with VIBE following the hearing. 'UMG is desperate to see this case not move forward because the company can't hide its misconduct in a courtroom the way it does in the boardroom,' they wrote. 'Soon, in addition to facing concerned regulators and investors, the leadership of music's most powerful label will have to answer for the damage it has caused to every artist that has been silenced, exploited, endangered or discarded.'
K. Dot's 'Not Like Us' remained on the Hot 100 for over a full year, won him five GRAMMYs at this year's show, and was performed at the Super Bowl. In one of the most viral moments, he looked directly into the camera and grinned when rapping the 'Say Drake, I hear you like 'em young' line.
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