Drake references UMG lawsuit on Iceman
- Drake referenced his legal fight with Universal Music Group in lyrics on Iceman, one of three albums he released today, May 15, 2026. - Previous reports said Drake sued UMG alleging it pushed Kendrick Lamar's song; court filings and coverage state the suit was dismissed earlier. - Coverage ties Drake's album rollout to the lawsuit background; Billboard and Consequence cited the legal references. (consequence.net)
1/ Drake dropped three new albums on May 15, 2026: *Iceman*, *Habibti*, and *Maid of Honour*. On *Iceman*, he directly references his dismissed lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing them of promoting Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" during their 2024 feud. 2/ The lawsuit stemmed from Lamar's June 2024 track "Not Like Us," which accused Drake of serious allegations including pedophilia. Drake filed suit in New York federal court on Jan. 15, 2025, claiming UMG artificially boosted the song's streams via payola and bot activity to damage his reputation. Court docs show UMG distributed over 1.2 billion Spotify streams in weeks. 3/ Drake's 64-page complaint alleged UMG violated RICO statutes by orchestrating a "crime spree" to sabotage him, including funneling $10M+ into radio airplay and social campaigns. He sought an injunction to halt "Not Like Us" promotion and damages. UMG called it "offensive and meritless," denying wrongdoing. 4/ U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dismissed the suit on Feb. 14, 2025, ruling Drake failed to plead plausible RICO claims or defamation. She noted lyrics are "rhetorical hyperbole" protected by the First Amendment, not factual assertions. Drake dropped his appeal on March 1, 2025. 5/ On *Iceman* track "Court Dismissed," Drake raps: "UMG pushed that pedo s---, court threw it out but they still eatin' / Suits in the boardroom plottin', Habibi knows the demon." *Habibti*—also released today—continues the shots at UMG execs. Fans on X link it to the feud's unresolved tension. (; ) 6/ Billboard reports *Iceman* debuted with 250K first-day U.S. streams on Spotify, trailing Lamar's 2024 beef-era peaks but topping Drake's post-feud solo drops. UMG has not commented on the lyrics. No new legal action filed as of May 15, 2026. 7/ This marks Drake's first project since the dismissal, blending legal gripes with OVO Sound production. *Maid of Honour* focuses on personal tracks, per early reviews. Full tracklists and credits available on Spotify/Apple Music now.
