A new contract between Kendrick Lamar and Universal Music Group (UMG), signed just three days before his explosive diss track “Euphoria” dropped, has sparked intense speculation about its role in his high-profile rap battle with Drake. The agreement, inked on April 27, 2024, is at the center of a legal firestorm, with Drake’s team alleging it contained clauses that incentivized Lamar to escalate their feud and rewarded him for its success. This claim, paired with heavily redacted contract documents, has raised questions about UMG’s involvement in the release of Lamar’s chart-topping track “Not Like Us,” which Drake argues defamed him.
The timing of Lamar’s contract with UMG’s Interscope Records, signed by executive Jason Kawiejza, has fueled theories that the Kendrick vs Drake beef was strategically weaponized for profit. Drake’s legal team suggests the deal included stipulations encouraging Lamar to target him, potentially boosting Interscope’s bottom line at the expense of Drake, who is signed to UMG’s Republic Records. They point to the success of “Not Like Us,” which topped charts and became a cultural phenomenon, as evidence of UMG’s financial motives.
However, without an unredacted version of the 22-page contract, these claims remain unproven. In a lawsuit filed in January 2025, Drake accuses UMG of failing to stop the release of “Not Like Us,” which labeled him a “certified pedophile.” His lawyers argue that the contract gave UMG the power to edit or block Lamar’s music but claim the label chose not to intervene, possibly to harm Drake’s brand during his own contract negotiations. Drake’s team has demanded the full, unredacted Kendrick Lamar UMG contract, arguing the version produced in June 2025 was so heavily censored it was “virtually unreadable.” They cite legal precedent, arguing UMG’s redactions violate discovery rules under a Protective Order that allows sensitive documents to be shared privately.
UMG has pushed back, calling the Drake lawsuit UMG has to face an overreaction to a rap battle he willingly joined. They argue that “Not Like Us” is protected artistic expression and a hallmark of hip-hop’s competitive culture, and that executives like Lucian Grainge had no direct role in its release. UMG also resists adding Kawiejza as a document custodian in the case, claiming it would yield irrelevant information.
The label maintains that the redactions protect sensitive business details, not evidence of wrongdoing. Amid the ongoing Not Like Us controversy, Drake’s team is also seeking records of Interscope CEO John Janick’s compensation and the production costs of the track to prove financial incentives drove UMG’s decisions. They argue that Interscope’s internal rivalry with Republic Records created a motive to prioritize Lamar’s success.
UMG has yet to provide these documents, leaving the dispute unresolved as of August 2025.
