Drake has been given the green light to access sensitive record company documents in his ongoing defamation case over Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.
The star had asked for copies of Kendrick Lamar’s recording contract, as well as information on salaries and bonuses for senior executives at his record label Universal Music Group (UMG).
Drake is accusing the company of defamation by allowing Lamar’s song to be published and promoted, claiming it spread the “false and malicious narrative” that he is a paedophile.
Universal filed to dismiss the case last month, calling it an “illogical” attempt to “silence” Lamar’s creative expression.
It also asked for a pause in the evidence-gathering process, known as discovery, while that request was considered.
However, on Wednesday, Judge Jeannette A Vargas, ordered that discovery should continue.
Michael Gottlieb, Drake’s lead lawyer, celebrated the decision in a statement to the BBC.
“Now it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide,” he said.
According to a court filing, Drake’s team is seeking documents including “all contracts between UMG and Kendrick Lamar” and the salaries and incentive plans for senior record label staff, going back to 2020.
UMG had objected to the request, saying that the “costly and time-consuming” process of gathering the “commercially sensitive” information was an “undue burden” when the case could still be dismissed.
A hearing on the motion to dismiss is scheduled for 30 June.
Drake’s lawsuit marks the latest chapter in his long-running feud with Lamar.
The pair butted heads on a series of rap tracks last year. In one, Drake accused Lamar of domestic abuse.
Lamar responded with Not Like Us, in which he characterised Drake and his entourage as “certified paedophiles” who should “be registered and placed on neighbourhood watch”.
In court documents, Drake claimed that Universal knew that Lamar’s lyrics were false but “continued to fan the flames” of the controversy for profit.
The lawsuit also accused Universal of colluding with Spotify to falsely inflate streaming numbers for Not Like Us, a claim that both companies denied.
In response, Universal, which has been Drake’s label for more than a decade, said: “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.”
“Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists.”
In addition, the label claimed that Drake had “lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated”.
“He now seeks to weaponise the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from [Universal] for distributing that artist’s music,” the company concluded.
Not Like Us has become the biggest hit of Kendrick Lamar’s career. In the UK, it became his first number one single, shortly after he performed it during the Super Bowl Half Time Show in February.
