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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Entertainment
Audrey Liza M. Nolasco

Universal Claims Drake Used Label Against Kendrick Lamar, Now Seeks New Defamation Standard

Universal Music Group alleges Drake leveraged the label in his dispute with Kendrick Lamar and is now pushing for a revised standard in defamation law. (Credit: THE VILL YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT)

Drake is locked in a high-stakes appellate battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) that could fundamentally rewrite the legal boundaries of hip-hop.

On 30 March 2026, UMG filed a scathing 83-page response brief, urging the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to uphold the dismissal of Drake's defamation lawsuit.

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