Drake seems to be under attack from all sides. He was scorned by countless other superstars and is now taking legal action against his record label, Universal Music Group. The rapper claims the label boosted streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss “Not Like Us.” Lamar is also part of the UMG family and he recently announced a national tour with SZA. Rather than stay out of the conflict between Drake and Lamar, the brand decided to express its support for the latter through social media.
Kendrick Lamar announced the tour dates via Instagram on December 3. Fans from all over the world flocked to the IG comment section to express their excitement. UMG decided to get in on the fun and re-released the Grand National’s cover image and tour dates. It makes sense that UMG would want to promote artists that bring them huge profits, and Lamar is having a stellar year with “Not Like Us.” Still, it’s easy to view the brand’s actions as a subtle slight against Drake.
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Universal Music Group released a statement shortly after Drake went public with his lawsuit plans. The label has denied any wrongdoing in promoting Lamar’s single. Additionally, they criticized Six Gods and suggested that Lamar was simply more popular with listeners. “We apply the highest ethical standards in our marketing and promotional activities,” UMG said. “No amount of contrived and ridiculous legal arguments in this pre-litigation filing can obscure the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
The National Tour’s launch in Toronto also piqued the interest of Drake haters. Lamar and SZA will perform in Liushen’s hometown on June 14th, just days away from Father’s Day. During their fight, Lamar repeatedly criticized Drake’s parenting skills. He even claimed that Drizzy had a daughter that he was hiding from the world. Fans speculated that Lamar chose Toronto for the date to dig deeper. Regardless of intent, UMG appears to be supporting the Compton icon.
About the author
Elias Andrews is the music and entertainment writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH in 2024 as chief night writer, which means he covers new releases every week. In the year since joining, Elias has covered some of the biggest, most tumultuous stories in music. He’s been covering Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s battle on the fly, especially with the release of topics like “Family Matters” and “Meet the Grahams.” He also detailed a list of ongoing allegations and criminal charges against Diddy. Elias’ favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808s Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He likes L.A. hip-hop, but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he bought was Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style,” which he thinks still sounds great.
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