Universal Music CEO Responds To Drake Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us

In a new legal filing, the music mogul refutes the rapper’s claim of a smear campaign, stating it ‘makes no sense’ for UMG to devalue an artist in whom it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars.

August 16, 2025; The legal battle between Drake and Universal Music Group (UMG) has intensified. Months after the Canadian rapper filed a defamation lawsuit, UMG Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge has broken his silence, officially refuting Drake’s claims in a declaration letter filed in a New York federal court.

In his filing, a copy of which was obtained by Variety, Grainge called Drake’s allegations “farcical” and “nonsensical.” Drake’s lawsuit alleges that UMG orchestrated a malicious campaign against him by promoting Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” which the rapper claims contained false and defamatory allegations.

Grainge directly addressed the core of Drake’s argument. “The claims that I was behind a scheme to ‘devalue’ [Drake’s] brand… an allegation that makes no sense due to the fact that the company that I run… has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Drake,” he declared. He further asserted that he had no personal involvement in the release, stating he had never heard the song or seen its music video until after its public release by Interscope Records.

The declaration comes just days after Drake’s legal team attempted to compel UMG and Grainge to hand over documents, including Lamar’s contract and communications from Grainge’s office. UMG’s lawyers responded by calling Drake’s motion an “absurd” and “transparent attempt to use discovery to harass UMG” and force a commercial renegotiation.

Grainge concluded his letter by stating he is “accustomed (and unfortunately largely resigned) to personal attacks” and believes the lawsuit is a strategy by Drake’s team to “waste my and UMG’s time and resources” and “gain media attention.” Drake has not sued Kendrick Lamar, but rather UMG, for “publishing, promoting, exploiting, and monetising” what he claims were false and dangerous allegations.