“An attempt to gain media attention”: UMG CEO reportedly dismisses Drake’s “groundless” claims following Kendrick Lamar document request

Months after Drake filed a defamation suit against his record label over his high-profile rap feud with Kendrick Lamar and the song Not Like Us, the company's top executive has issued a sharp rebuttal. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in a late-night filing in the Southern District of New York, Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said Drake's claims were "farcical," nonsensical, "groundless and indeed ridiculous."

He pointed out that the label has invested "hundreds of millions" into Drake's career. This response comes as the legal standoff intensifies, with Drake's side now pushing for access to UMG's contract with Lamar and documents tied to serious allegations against the Compton artist. He said that opponents in litigation often aim to drain resources by asking burdensome discovery requests, sometimes just to make news waves or force financial concessions. In his words:

"...and I further recognize 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..."

UMG CEO rejects Drake's claims over Not Like Us

Drake's legal team recently sought to compel Universal Music Group (UMG) and its CEO, Lucian Grainge, to hand over Kendrick Lamar's contract and any files linked to the alleged domestic violence claims involving Lamar. They aimed at Lamar's song Not Like Us, which was released under UMG's Interscope and is widely viewed as his beef with Drake.

Sources suggest this push got a strong "no" from Grainge, who said he had nothing to do with producing or promoting the song, and he also rejected accusations of attempting to "devalue" the rapper's stature. In his words:

"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."

Drake, who has been with UMG at Republic Records since 2009, signed again in 2022 for a huge $400 million.

Grainge calls the link to Not Like Us "ridiculous"

Grainge pushed back strongly against suggestions tying him to the release or promotion of Not Like Us, calling the notion "farcical." In a note, he made it clear that his job as head of a publicly traded, multi-billion-dollar global corporation that works in over 60 countries and close to 200 markets is more about overarching strategy than just one song's release.

Grainge also said he had never heard this song or seen its art or video until after Interscope Records had shown them to the world. In his words:

"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."

He further said:

"Whilst, as part of my role, I certainly have financial oversight of and responsibility for UMG’s global businesses, the proposition that I was involved in, much less responsible for, reviewing and approving the content of 'Not Like Us,' its cover art or music video, or for determining or directing the promotion of those materials, is groundless and indeed ridiculous."

While he oversees UMG's worldwide operations financially, he made it clear that any claim he reviewed, approved, or directed the promotion of Not Like Us is baseless.

UMG urges court to reject Drake's "absurd" motion

In another letter to the Southern District of New York on Thursday, the legal team from Universal Music Group accused Drake of using the discovery process to deliberately burden the company with wasted time and resources. The filing rejected the premise of his motion - that a rap battle loss could only stem from a covert conspiracy at the highest levels of UMG and called it "absurd." 

They made it clear that CEO Sir Lucian Grainge works on the big plan for the company worldwide. He does not give approval on each song, album cover, or marketing plan. They said that all the relevant material could be obtained from the actual custodians of Not Like Us. They stated Drake had not met the standard to compel Grainge's inclusion. The letter urged the court to turn down the motion.