Drake has resolved part of his legal war stemming from Kendrick Lamar’s explosive diss track “Not Like Us,” reaching a settlement with Texas-based iHeartMedia.
The agreement marks a step forward in the rapper’s broader dispute with Universal Music Group (UMG), though his claims against the label remain unresolved.
In November 2024, Drake filed a petition in San Antonio’s Bexar County, alleging that iHeartMedia accepted illicit payments from UMG to artificially boost radio play for “Not Like Us.”
He accused UMG of orchestrating “irregular and inappropriate business practices” to promote the track, which he claims defames him.
According to Drake, the song—along with its album art and music video—falsely portrays him as a sex offender, accusing him of pedophilia and other criminal acts. The filing, a prelude to a potential lawsuit, sought depositions from both companies’ representatives.
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On Thursday, February 27, 2025, court documents reviewed by CBS News revealed that Drake and iHeartMedia “reached an amicable resolution.”
Details of the settlement remain undisclosed, with Drake’s legal team issuing a brief statement: “We are pleased that the parties were able to settle satisfactorily to both sides and have no further comment on this matter.” iHeartMedia, in an email to CBS News on February 28, also declined to elaborate.
While the iHeartMedia chapter closes, Drake’s battle with UMG presses on. UMG has filed a motion to dismiss his petition, with a hearing set for March 5 in San Antonio.
Separately, in January 2025, Drake escalated his fight by filing a defamation lawsuit against UMG in New York City. That suit alleges the label damaged his reputation by greenlighting Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which he claims spreads baseless pedophilia accusations.
The ongoing clash underscores tensions between Drake, one of UMG’s biggest stars, and the label he accuses of weaponizing Lamar’s diss track against him.
