HOUSTON — iHeartMedia, a prominent media company based in Texas, announced it has resolved its legal conflict with artist Drake concerning the Kendrick Lamar track “Not Like Us,” expressing confidence that it acted appropriately throughout the matter.
In a legal petition filed in November, Drake claimed that iHeartMedia received unauthorized payments from Universal Music Group to increase radio airplay for the song “Not Like Us.” Universal Music Group (UMG), Drake’s and Lamar’s parent record label, was accused of involvement in these allegations.
Initially, iHeartMedia, headquartered in San Antonio, refrained from commenting on the outcome of the settlement, which was disclosed in court documents the previous week. However, the media company released an updated statement emphasizing its stance.
“Drake agreed to drop his petition after iHeart provided documents proving we acted without wrongdoing. No payments were involved—on either side,” the statement elaborated.
Lawyers representing Drake filed a document on Thursday in Bexar County, home of San Antonio, indicating that the dispute between the rapper and iHeartMedia had been resolved amicably, though they didn’t provide further details on the agreement.
Meanwhile, a hearing is set for Wednesday regarding UMG’s attorneys’ motion to dismiss Drake’s petition entirely.
In addition to airing grievances about radio play, Drake’s petition accused UMG of being aware that “Not Like Us”—along with its album art and accompanying music video—unjustly portrayed him as a sex offender, thereby attacking his character.
The escalating tension in the hip-hop world features a clash between Drake, a 38-year-old Canadian artist with multiple Grammy wins, and Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper who recently headlined the Super Bowl halftime show and is 37 years old.
The content of this story has been updated to accurately reflect that iHeartMedia’s revised statement was issued on a Saturday, rather than a Monday.
