Stand Up! Drake and Kendrick Lamar are being subpoenaed by UMG in the “Not Like Us” lawsuit
The most recent Drake UMG lawsuit update: UMG is asking Drake and Kendrick Lamar to testify, and both parties have submitted witness lists.
Drake launched a civil case against Universal Music Group (UMG), and both parties are already submitting lists of possible witnesses. UMG has made a noteworthy request that Drake and his most recent opponent, Kendrick Lamar, testify in court during Drizzy’s “Not Like Us” civil action. This move is causing a stir in the industry.
In January 2025, Drake first sued UMG, alleging that the music mogul had intentionally defamed him. His grievance focuses on Kendrick Lamar’s popular diss song “Not Like Us,” in which he infamously calls Drake a “child predator.” Drake claims that UMG used “illegal means” to promote the song in addition to distributing it.
The idea that UMG would “seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is illogical,” the company has adamantly refuted these allegations. Additionally, they have been aggressively urging the judge to dismiss the case completely. The litigation is still pending in spite of their efforts.
UMG’s attorneys write in the petition, “Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated.” “In a misguided attempt to patch things up, he has sued his own record label rather than embracing the loss like the unconcerned rap artist he frequently portrays himself as.”
On Monday, July 14, the legal chess match became more heated. Both sides submitted lists of people who might be subpoenaed to testify, according to XXL Mag. A comprehensive list of 63 people and organizations was presented by Drake’s legal team, indicating a thorough investigation into the popularity and effects of “Not Like Us.”
The Witness List Showdown in the UMG Civil Lawsuit
The rapper himself is on Drake’s long list of possible witnesses, along with prominent business figures including Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman, Interscope marketing president Steve Berman, and UMG CEO Lucian Grange. Major streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, YouTube, SoundCloud, and TikTok are also being contacted by his legal team for information. Drake is also keeping an eye on organizations like the NFL and Roc Nation that were involved in Lamar’s performance on the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. It appears that Drake’s attorneys are looking for any purported “covert tactics to promote the Defamatory Material.” Notably, Kojo Menne Asamoah has been mentioned by Drake’s team as having utilized such techniques; but, despite engaging private investigators, they have not been able to find or serve him.
Drake’s lengthy list is in sharp contrast to UMG’s far narrower list, which only includes nine names. However, Drake and Kendrick Lamar are the two names who have drawn the most attention from UMG’s list. Anthony Saleh, Kendrick Lamar’s manager, is also mentioned. Since Lamar is not named as a defendant in the complaint, this step is very noteworthy.
Lamar “is likely to have discoverable information concerning the creation of the recording, image, and video as well as the distribution and promotion of the recording and video,” according to UMG’s attorneys.
The tactics used by the legal teams suggest a high-stakes battle in the courtroom. UMG maintains Drake is merely “weaponiz[ing] the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression” after “losing a rap battle,” despite Drake’s assertions the case is about UMG making money off of “dangerous misinformation” and “artificially inflat[ing]” the songs popularity.
