Is Drake taking legal action in a rap battle an unprecedented move? The revelation this week that the hip-hop icon's team filed pre-motion documents against Universal Music Group over "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar, Drake's nemesis and another icon of the genre, has added a new twist to what was already an incendiary feud between the two.
But is Drake playing with fire by opening it up to the courts?
What his legal team is reportedly attempting to do is find out more information about Universal Music Group, as well as its relationship with streaming and radio — all concerning the white-hot successful sales figures and streaming numbers for "Not Like Us," the Drake diss track that was one of several released by Lamar this year, but the only one that seemingly permeated the whole of pop culture and earned him a Super Bowl slot.
After its broad success, Drake's people are suggesting those numbers must have been artificially inflated through conspiratorial means by the record label as well as streaming and radio. On top of that, Drake's team reportedly filed paperwork condemning the lyrical content of the "Not Like Us" itself, which Drake says "falsely" labels him a predator. None of these are quite yet lawsuits, but they could proceed to one.
It was on Monday (Nov. 25) that news arrived of the first legal filing from Drake's team regarding the song's millions upon millions of streams — just one day after K-Dot surprise-released his latest effort, the album GNX.
A second filing emerged later Monday and was not made public until the following day (Nov. 26). In it, Drake claims UMG "funneled payments" to iHeart Radio as part of a "pay-to-play scheme" to promote "Not Like Us." Elsewhere in the filing, Drake says UMG knew that Kendrick's song "falsely" accused him of being a "certified pedophile" and "predator" but chose to release it anyway.
Many who feel Lamar already won the Drake-Kendrick feud — and those who don't — have taken to airing their opinions online. Some have rightly noted Drake's attempt to investigate the label's operations could backfire since he's also one of the world's top artists and may have equally benefited from insider-like industry practices.
"The argument from Drake's fans is that he's doing it for everyone," one commenter on X (formerly Twitter) opined. "The problem with that is that Drake has been aware of these practices for quite some time and loved them when they benefited him and hates them when they don't."
Like the facts of this situation are pretty clear
— Let the Ladder Down (@FlowsAndolini) November 26, 2024
It doesn't take a genius nor an insider to know that the music industry caters to the big earners aka the 1% of its musical acts
Drake AND Kendrick are amongst that 1%.
Those shady practices were and are used for BOTH of them…
But beyond that is the notion that Drake is playing unfairly by taking what was essentially a lyrical battle and making it a legal proceeding, a look that one can easily view as that of a sore loser trying to compensate after the fact.
Some commenters have also brought up Drake's attention to the matter as an example of the "Streisand Effect," ergo, getting more people to pay attention to Lamar and listen to "Not Like Us."
In 2003, Barbra Streisand tried to suppress a photo of her Malibu crib, only to draw more attention to it—a phenomenon now called the Streisand Effect. Drake’s litigiousness will do the same for Kendrick’s “Not Like Us,” ensuring more people stream it and hear the insinuation.
— Z (@BrianZisook) November 26, 2024
Taking it a step further on Monday, the Atlanta Daily World wrote that Drake's legal action "makes a mockery of rap culture," arguing the move indeed "counters the unwritten rules of the culture. Rap battles are similar to sport. It has always been fair game when two artists use wit and showmanship while engaging in a rap battle."
Could the Legal Move Bite Drake Back?
As the situation unfolds, many questions linger about the potential repercussions of Drake's legal maneuver. While the court filings have raised serious allegations about industry practices, they also expose Drake to scrutiny regarding his career and methods. Does Drake risk turning the microscope back on himself?
Furthermore, the cultural impact of this move may not work in Drake's favor. Rap battles are rooted in bravado, creativity, and lyrical skill — not legal arguments. Bringing lawyers into the mix risks alienating a fanbase that values authenticity. Some argue this legal strategy could weaken Drake's standing in the rap community, even if he prevails in court.
Whether Drake's approach sets a new precedent for how hip-hop feuds are handled or ends up as a cautionary tale remains to be seen. For now, the eyes of the industry and the public are watching every development in this clash between two rap titans.
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