Drake criticizes Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance of ‘Not Like Us’ in newly filed defamation allegations

Hip-hop mogul Drake has recently made waves by accusing his rival, Kendrick Lamar, of using his Super Bowl performance to attack his character. This new claim has been added to Drake’s ongoing defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which revolves around allegations of pedophilia featured in Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”

In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, Drake’s legal team emphasizes the far-reaching impact of Lamar’s performance at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. “The performance aired during the most-watched halftime show in history, with over 133 million viewers, including millions of children and countless others who had never heard the song before,” the amended complaint reads. It continues, calling it “the first, and hopefully the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated with the sole purpose of destroying another artist’s reputation.”

The lawsuit draws particular attention to the fact that Lamar, while performing the track at the Super Bowl, removed the controversial word “pedophile” from the lyrics. According to Drake’s legal team, this omission only reinforces the defamatory nature of the term. They argue that nearly everyone involved understands the word’s harmful impact, and its removal proves that it’s damaging and false.

The lawsuit goes on to accuse Universal Music Group of manipulating its financial and business power to help Lamar secure his Super Bowl halftime spot and promote the performance. “Drake’s amended complaint strengthens his already strong case,” says his lawyer, Michael Gottlieb, in a statement. “Drake will expose UMG’s misconduct, and UMG will be held accountable for the fallout from their reckless decisions.”

It’s worth noting that the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show broke records, with Nielsen reporting it as the most-watched performance in history. Despite the event’s success, it has now become a point of contention in Drake’s legal battle.

In response to the lawsuit, Universal Music, the parent company of both Drake and Lamar, has continued to deny all allegations. In a statement, the label said, “Drake, unquestionably one of the world’s most accomplished artists, is being misled by his legal representatives into taking one absurd legal step after another. It is shameful that these unfounded legal theatrics continue.”

However, a spokesperson for Drake was quick to defend his position, saying the artist is “holding the largest music conglomerate in the world accountable for its actions, without fear.” Drake’s legal team claims that Universal’s involvement in promoting “Not Like Us” has led to serious consequences for the rapper, including harassment, public backlash, and even physical threats. The lawsuit alleges that the song’s defamatory content contributed to an attempted break-in at Drake’s Toronto home, as well as a shooting of a security guard.

In addition to the Super Bowl performance, Drake’s legal team points to the February Grammy Awards as another example of Universal’s complicity. The song “Not Like Us” was played during the ceremony when it won five Grammy awards, including Song and Record of the Year. The lawsuit asserts that Universal Music played a direct role in securing the Grammy nominations and allowing the track to be performed at such a high-profile event.

Drake initially filed his lawsuit against Universal Music in January, but did not target Lamar directly. He is seeking unspecified damages for what he claims is the record label’s decision to publish and promote a song containing false pedophilia allegations. The legal action also highlights the negative consequences Drake has faced, including the damage to his reputation, increased online harassment, and a reduction in his brand value—especially ahead of his contract renegotiation with UMG.

The tension between Drake and Lamar has been building for years. While the two were once occasional collaborators, their public feud started in 2013, when Lamar began taking subtle jabs at Drake. Their rivalry escalated in 2024, with both artists releasing diss tracks aimed at each other. Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which is central to this defamation case, includes controversial lyrics that play on the pedophilia allegations. In one line, Lamar raps, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one,” a reference that many believe is a direct attack on Drake’s character.

In its motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Universal Music Group argued that Drake is partially responsible for fueling the beef between the two artists. The label contends that Drake himself released inflammatory diss tracks targeting Lamar, contributing to the escalation of their conflict. “Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he initiated and in which he willingly participated,” the motion states. “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to ease his bruised ego.”

As the lawsuit progresses, Drake’s team is determined to expose Universal Music Group’s alleged role in allowing the defamation to continue unchecked. The case has now become one of the most high-profile legal battles in the music industry, bringing the ongoing feud between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars into the courtroom and raising questions about the responsibilities of record labels in managing the content they promote. Whether or not Drake will succeed in his defamation case remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the drama between him and Kendrick Lamar is far from over.