Drake has amended his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), citing Kendrick Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us” during the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Although Lamar omitted the word “pedophile” from the live performance, Drake alleges that the track’s insinuations and its widespread dissemination, including at the Grammy Awards where it won Song and Record of the Year, were defamatory and damaging.
Drake claims UMG orchestrated and promoted the halftime show and Grammy exposure to bolster Lamar’s career, thereby acting to defame him. He links the fallout from the song to several incidents at his Toronto home, including a shooting and break-ins, along with widespread online harassment. UMG has dismissed the claims as meritless, attributing the situation to Drake’s inability to handle losing a public rap feud.