Universal Music CEO Reacts To Drake's Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

News18

a day ago

Last Updated:
Following Drake's lawsuit in January, Universal Music Group's CEO Lucian Grainge filed a declaration letter with the Southern District of New York.
In January this year, Drake filed a defamation case against Universal Music Group (UMG) in a New York federal court. The Canadian rapper had accused the music company of orchestrating a malicious campaign against him after the release of Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us. In his lawsuit, he mentioned that the song contained false allegations and caused significant harm to his reputation.
Now, months after the lawsuit was filed, Universal Music Group's chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge broke his silence on the matter. In a declaration letter filed by him on Thursday, August 14, with the Southern District of New York, the 65-year-old refuted the claims made by the rapper. According to a report by Variety, Lucian argued that Drake's allegations of defamation are 'farcical" and 'nonsensical."
Lucian Grainge Says That It 'Makes No Sense' To Blame Him For The Release Of Not Like Us
In his declaration, the CEO of the music giant mentioned that the 'claims that I was behind a scheme to 'devalue' (Drake's) brand through the release and promotion of the Kendrick Lamar recording 'Not Like Us' — an allegation that makes no sense due to the fact that the company that I run, Universal Music Group N.V., has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Drake, including longstanding and critical financial support for his recording career, the purchase and ownership of the bulk of his recording catalog, and the purchase of his music publishing rights."
Through his lawsuit, Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Kendrick Lamar, but just UMG, which 'decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetise allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous." In his letter, the music company's CEO mentioned that he runs a massive, multinational corporation that operates in over sixty countries, covering nearly 200 markets and does not personally oversee the release of individual songs or music videos.
Lucian Grainge Mentions That He Never Heard Or Saw Not Like Us Before Its Release
He further asserted, 'Given Drake's motion, I would like to make it quite clear that I had never heard the recording 'Not Like Us,' nor ever saw the corresponding cover art or music video, until after they were released by Interscope Records." The declaration letter came just days after Drake's lawyers tried to force UMG and Lucian Grainge to share Kendrick Lamar's contract and information regarding alleged claims of domestic violence committed by him.
Lucian Grainge concluded his letter, saying, 'Given my role, I am accustomed (and unfortunately largely resigned) to personal attacks." He mentioned, 'I further recognise that a frequent strategy of UMG's litigation opponents is to attempt to waste my and UMG's time and resources with discovery of the sort that Drake is seeking here — either in an attempt to gain media attention or in an effort to force some kind of commercial renegotiation or financial concessions."
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.