Drake Says ‘Not Like Us’ Tremendous Bowl Censoring Backs Defamation Declare

Drake has doubled down on his defamation and harassment claims in opposition to Common Music Group (UMG), submitting an amended grievance Wednesday that claims the NFL’s choice to ban the phrase “pedophile” from Kendrick Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl halftime efficiency helps his allegation that “Not Like Us” is defamatory.

“The model of the recording carried out throughout the Tremendous Bowl Efficiency was modified to exclude the phrase ‘pedophile,’ however no different modifications have been made,” Drake’s up to date grievance filed in Manhattan federal court docket and obtained by Rolling Stone reads. “That’s as a result of almost everybody understands that it’s defamatory to falsely model somebody a ‘licensed pedophile.’”

The brand new 107-page grievance claims that “the NFL, in addition to the company entities answerable for the televised and streaming broadcasts of the Tremendous Bowl Efficiency, all understood the phrases ‘licensed pedophile’ to be unacceptable in a broadcast to thousands and thousands of listeners. However that obvious consensus, UMG continues to publish the recording absent the censoring that even Kendrick Lamar deemed acceptable for the Tremendous Bowl Efficiency.”

When Drake initially filed his controversial lawsuit in opposition to his personal label again in January, Lamar had not but headlined the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. Drake and his attorneys talked about it was on the horizon, however they didn’t know it could be the most-watched halftime present in historical past, with greater than 133 million viewers tuning in — extra views than the precise recreation clocked in. Within the new amended grievance, Drake and his attorneys alleged that the present vastly compounded the alleged injury to his popularity and funds claimed in his lawsuit. They are saying the sport efficiency “reached thousands and thousands of youngsters, and thousands and thousands extra who had by no means earlier than heard the music.” (Although the televised model of “Not Like Us” censored the phrases “licensed pedophile,” Lamar nonetheless carried out different allegedly damaging lyrics equivalent to, “Hey Drake, I hear you want ‘em younger,” and “Simply be sure you conceal your lil’ sister from him.”)

“It was the primary, and can hopefully be the final, Tremendous Bowl halftime present orchestrated to assassinate the character of one other artist,” Drake’s amended grievance reads. He says the music additionally reached a wider viewers via the 2025 Grammy Awards telecast, the place “Not Like Us” received Report of the 12 months and Track of the 12 months on Feb. 3. “Every of those prestigious and high-exposure occasions launched new listeners to the recording, inflicting much more individuals to be duped into believing that Drake was a pedophile,” the brand new court docket submitting continues. “Not solely did streams of the recording enhance considerably following these two mega-cultural occasions, however threats in opposition to Drake and his household did as nicely.”

In an announcement launched Wednesday evening, attorneys for UMG referred to as the lawsuit “frivolous and reckless.” They stated the amended model was an try and keep away from sanctions for making “false allegations” within the first model. The attorneys didn’t elaborate, however the authentic lawsuit accused UMG of conspiring with and paying third events to faux streams of “Not Like Us.” Within the amended grievance, Drake backs down considerably, saying, “at minimal, UMG was conscious that third events have been utilizing bots to stream the recording and turned a blind eye, regardless of having the ability to cease such conduct.”

“Drake, unquestionably one of many world’s most achieved artists and with whom we’ve loved at 16-year profitable relationship, is being misled by his authorized representatives into taking one absurd authorized step after one other,” UMG’s attorneys stated Wednesday. “In Texas final November, his counsel instituted a authorized continuing with a lot fanfare and bluster. On Monday, they quietly dropped the case. …Each the Texas and New York proceedings are an affront to all artists and artistic expression. Ought to his authorized representatives senselessly preserve the New York lawsuit alive, we’ll exhibit that each one remaining claims are with out benefit. It’s shameful that these silly and frivolous authorized theatrics proceed. They’re reputationally and financially expensive to Drake and haven’t any likelihood of success.”

Of their beforehand filed and scathing movement to dismiss Drake’s preliminary grievance, UMG referred to as Drake’s claims “unjustified” and an try “to avoid wasting face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.” “Plaintiff, some of the profitable recording artists of all time, misplaced a rap battle that he provoked and by which he willingly participated. As a substitute of accepting the loss just like the unbothered rap artist he usually claims to be, he has sued his personal file label in a misguided try and salve his wounds,” attorneys for UMG wrote. (As a substitute of replying to the movement, Drake’s camp filed the amended grievance, setting the stage for UMG to file yet one more dismissal movement by a deadline of Might 7.)

Specialists inform Rolling Stone the bar is excessive for Drake to succeed together with his lawsuit. Both approach, trade watchers say, the court docket battle performs a twin position as a public relations gambit after Drake misplaced his nine-track rap battle with Lamar final Might.