Universal Music Group (EURONEXT:UMG) has been sued for defamation by Canadian rapper Drake over lyrics in a hit song from US rival Kendrick Lamar, part of a back-and-forth feud played out last year.
The lawsuit is seeking a trial and an undisclosed amount of money for damages.
Lawyers for Toronto-born Drake at New York-based Willkie Farr & Gallagher filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York City alleging the world's largest music group published and promoted 'Not Like Us' even though the hip-hop track included "inflammatory and shocking" but false allegations, Associated Press reported.
Drake claims the song lyrics are "intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile".
The lawsuit also claims that the song calls for vigilante justice, the result of which, it goes on, was the recent shooting of a security guard at Drake’s home, an increase in online harassment and a hit to his reputation and brand value.
Both Drake and Lamarr are signed to UMG. Drake's contract with UMG is up for renewal this year.
However, the filing says the lawsuit "is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us'. It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous.”
The suit later alleges, “UMG did so because it understood that the recording's inflammatory and shocking allegations were a gold mine.”
UMG, the suit claims, used its connections to arrange for 'Not Like Us' to be performed at the Super Bowl halftime show by Lamar.
Last year a separate lawsuit claimed that UMG conspired with Spotify to artificially boost the popularity of the track.
Following that filing, UMG said the “suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue.
"We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns.”
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Drake's legal team said "UMG has used its massive resources as the world’s most powerful music company to elevate a dangerous and inflammatory message that was designed to assassinate Drake’s character, and led to actual violence at Drake’s doorstep.
"UMG wants the public to believe that this is a fight between rappers, but this lawsuit is not brought against Kendrick Lamar. This lawsuit reveals the human and business consequences to UMG’s elevation of profits over the safety and well-being of its artists, and shines a light on the manipulation of artists and the public for corporate gain."