With Drake's legal struggle against Universal Music Group (UMG) adding fuel to the flames, his long-running feud with Kendrick Lamar has reached a crucial point.
Despite the drama, fans eagerly anticipate Kendrick's performance of his diss track, "Not Like Us," at the event. In the song's lyrics, there are insinuations suggesting Drake's involvement in inappropriate behavior with minors, an accusation he strongly refutes.
Legal records reveal Drake's claim that UMG showed bias towards Lamar, facilitating his role as headliner at the Super Bowl LIX, a move believed to have been orchestrated to magnify the impact of the diss track on a global platform.
In analyzing Drake's legal action, critics have raised concerns about its potential impact on artistic freedom.
Entertainment law attorney Camron Dowlatshahi emphasized to The US Sun that this lawsuit represents a groundbreaking development within the music industry, with far-reaching consequences for creative expression.
"I think Kendrick Lamar is going to be performing at the Super Bowl," Dowlatshahi stated.
"I would expect him to perform this song for hundreds of millions of people. This is a hit song, and he's the main artist. So I'm fairly confident he's going to play it."
Based on NFL guidelines, it is common practice for artists to seek approval for their setlists.
However, there is no mandate to disclose these setlists to fellow performers.
Despite potential censorship of explicit content, Dowlatshahi proposed that Lamar could explore innovative methods to integrate the song into his performance.
With its impressive performance on the Billboard charts and over one billion streams on Spotify, "Not Like Us" has made a mark in the music industry.
UMG has denied Drake's allegations, defending their role in distributing Lamar's music.
"Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist, let alone Drake, is illogical," the label said in a statement.
"He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist's creative expression. We will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation." UMG added.
Dowlatshahi speculates that Drake's decision to sue UMG instead of directly confronting Lamar is a calculated strategy to steer clear of a potential public image crisis.
However, this legal maneuver could signal the impending termination of Drake's affiliation with the record label.
"Anytime you're suing someone you're contracted with, that relationship is never going to go back," Dowlatshahi explained.
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