Drake asked Interscope CEO for salary records, claiming they could reveal the financial motivation behind the release of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track.
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Drake, who tried to get a bet in a legal conflict with Universal Music Group on Interscope CEO John Janick’s five-year compensation record, believes executives have a monetary motivation to back Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 hit “not like us.”
The request was filed in the federal court in Manhattan, seeking Janick’s salary, bonuses and incentives salary, as well as Interscope’s monthly profits and revenues since 2020.
Drake’s legal team also hopes to reach a complete recording contract between Lamar and UMG, and the valuation of the Lamar catalog goes back to January 2020.
UMG is represented by Rollin A. Ransom, a lawyer for Sidley Austin LLP, who firmly opposed the demand, calling it “invasive, irrelevant, and intended to harass.”
The ransom noted in a statement to U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas that Drake’s motion distracted the core dispute.
“Drake seeks Interscope CEO John John’s private and highly confidential compensation details date back to 2021 — even four years before ‘not like us’,” Ransom wrote. “However, Drake did not try to explain how his invasive demand for a five-year personal compensation record is related or proportional to the case, which centers on the 2024 release and promotion.
Drake’s legal action stems from claims that UMG may block or change “not like us” but allows it to move on, allegedly in favor of Lamar during the public dispute.
The song aimed at Drake, becoming a viral success and dominant in streaming platforms, but the Toronto rapper said his reputation was damaged after Kendrick Lamar labeled the rapper as a “certified pedophile.”
UMG has handed over some of Kendrick Lamar’s contracts related to content approval to part, but has refused to release the full document on the grounds of competitive concerns and trade secrets.
The company also described Drake’s broader financial request as a “fishing adventure” that would expose sensitive internal data without advancing the case.
UMG has asked the court to directly refuse the motion before any ruling, or conduct a private review of Lamar’s contract.
Judge Vargas has not issued a decision yet.
