HOUSTON — iHeartMedia, a prominent Texas-based media company, recently announced the resolution of its legal conflict with rapper Drake regarding Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us.” The dispute centered on allegations from Drake claiming that iHeartMedia had accepted unlawful compensation from Universal Music Group (UMG) to enhance radio play for the said diss track.
In November, Drake filed a petition asserting that the media company had been part of a scheme involving payments from UMG, the parent label for both Drake and Kendrick Lamar, to promote Lamar’s song. Amidst the accusations, San Antonio-headquartered iHeartMedia initially avoided publicly commenting on the issue until a settlement was made public through court documents. On Saturday, the company issued an updated statement confirming the settlement.
The statement from iHeartMedia clarified, “In exchange for documents that proved iHeart’s innocence, Drake has decided to withdraw his petition. There were no payments involved on either side.” Attorney documents filed in Bexar County, San Antonio’s location, noted that a “mutual resolution” had been achieved, though details remained undisclosed.
Initially, a hearing from UMG’s attorneys attempting to dismiss Drake’s petition was scheduled for Wednesday. However, proceedings have been rescheduled for March 24, as per recent court records. Further complicating the matter, Drake’s petition accused UMG of awareness regarding the content of “Not Like Us,” which supposedly defamed him by falsely labeling him as a sexual offender.
Drake is also pursuing a separate defamation suit in New York’s federal court against UMG, challenging what he claims to be baseless accusations of pedophilia implied in the track. Notably, Kendrick Lamar is not mentioned in this lawsuit. Last Tuesday, a judge presiding over this defamation case declined UMG’s request to delay pretrial activities, including the discovery phase during which evidence is exchanged. Drake’s legal team expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling against UMG’s delay attempts, hinting it was an effort by UMG to obscure the truth.
UMG, however, hasn’t issued an immediate response to requests for comments on the ongoing legal matters. The rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, both celebrated artists with significant accolades including Grammy awards and prestigious honors, has been one of the most significant in the hip-hop industry recently.
