Common Music Group (UMG) CEO Lucian Grainge is firing again at Drake’s newest authorized push within the rapper’s defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss observe “Not Like Us.” In a sworn declaration, Grainge stated he “had by no means heard” the observe — nor seen its cowl artwork or music video — till after Interscope Information […]

Common Music Group (UMG) CEO Lucian Grainge is firing again at Drake’s newest authorized push within the rapper’s defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss observe “Not Like Us.”

In a sworn declaration, Grainge stated he “had by no means heard” the observe — nor seen its cowl artwork or music video — till after Interscope Information launched it.

He referred to as any suggestion that he permitted or promoted the music “groundless and certainly ridiculous,” stressing that as UMG’s chief government, his focus is on world technique, not day-to-day launch choices.

Labeling Drake’s claims “farcical,” Grainge identified UMG’s lengthy historical past of investing within the Toronto celebrity, together with a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in assist, the acquisition of most of his recording catalog, and the acquisition of his publishing rights.

The pushback comes after Drake’s attorneys moved to have Grainge added as a doc custodian within the case — a transfer UMG’s legal professionals blasted as a “clear try to harass” the corporate and waste assets “out of spite.”

Drake’s authorized group argues that high UMG brass, together with Grainge, had contractual authority over Lamar’s music and intentionally launched and promoted “Not Like Us” regardless of realizing it contained defamatory allegations.

They declare UMG sought to devalue Drake’s model to realize leverage in contract renegotiations, citing inside label competitors.

The movement calls for Grainge’s emails and texts, Kendrick Lamar’s full contract with UMG, and all paperwork associated to contract negotiations for each artists, in addition to any discussions of alleged crimes by Lamar, masking January 2023 by way of Could 2024.

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