By Samuel A. Lopez – USA Herald
Drake has officially settled his dispute with iHeartMedia, but his legal battle against Universal Music Group (UMG) is far from over. The Toronto-born rapper remains locked in a high-stakes defamation lawsuit against UMG, accusing the music conglomerate of maliciously spreading false allegations about him to damage his career. The lawsuit stems from Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track Not Like Us, which Drake claims was used as a tool for UMG’s financial gain at his expense.
The Settlement with iHeartMedia
Drake’s attorneys filed court documents on February 27, confirming that an “amicable resolution” had been reached with iHeartMedia. The details of the settlement remain undisclosed, with neither party offering additional comments on the agreement. The legal dispute initially arose in November 2024, when Drake filed a petition in Texas, alleging UMG engaged in “irregular and inappropriate business practices” to get radio airplay for the diss track, and effectively weaponizing the song to tarnish his reputation.
Drake also alleged that UMG knew “the song itself, as well as its accompanying album art and music video, attacked the character of another one of UMG’s most prominent artists, Drake, by falsely accusing him of being a sex offender, engaging in pedophilic acts, harboring sex offenders, and committing other criminal sexual acts.”
While the settlement with iHeartMedia signals the end of one front in Drake’s legal fight, the case against UMG continues to escalate. UMG has since filed a motion to dismiss, with a critical hearing scheduled for March 5 in San Antonio.
