A US district court judge has ruled that Drake is allowed to access Kendrick Lamar’s contract, though it will remain unavailable to the public

Inside the Drake vs. UMG legal battle: Judge allows Kendrick Lamar’s contract to be kept confidential under seal.

A judge allowed Drake’s legal team to review Kendrick Lamar’s contracts with Universal Music Group (UMG) and other documents as part of Drake's defamation lawsuit concerning Lamar’s song "Not Like Us".

Drake's request for contract: The judge has approved Drake's request to view Kendrick Lamar's contract with UMG. 

New developments have emerged in the Drake vs UMG dispute. As reported by NFR Lite on Friday (August 22), the U.S. District Judge Jeanette A. Vargas decided that Kendrick Lamar’s contract with UMG will stay confidential.

In a defamation lawsuit that Drake has filed against Universal Music Group (UMG) regarding Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us," the judge has decided that Drake is allowed to seek Kendrick Lamar's record contract but not the entire public record. The judge rejected UMG's request to postpone discovery, and Drake's team is now urging UMG's head, Lucian Grainge, to submit documents pertinent to the case. The lawsuit revolves around Drake's assertion that UMG benefited from false and harmful allegations in "Not Like Us."

Judge Vargas mentioned that the contract includes confidential business details, and protecting both UMG’s business interests and Lamar’s privacy is more important than making it public. The judge has not yet ruled on the two Motions to Compel filed by Drake's legal team.

In January 2025, Drake initiated a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) following the release of Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us in mid-2024.