Drake wins big against Kendrick Lamar in legal battle amid defamation lawsuit

Drake has bagged an unexpected victory against Kendrick Lamar and record label Universal Music Group (UMG).

In the latest development of the feud between the two rappers, a judge has moved forward with the God's Plan rapper's request to access Lamar's contract and other sensitive information.

The lawsuit was filed after the 37-year-old rapper dropped a diss track Not Like Us, which Drake alleges was strategically released to damage his reputation.

The tension between Drake and Kendrick has been ongoing for years, but it reached all time high when in 2024 the renowned rappers released number of diss tracks directed at each other.

One of the most controversial releases was Not Like Us, a song that gained traction and became a cultural phenomenon, securing Kendrick a spot at 2025's Super Bowl half-time show.

Drake's legal team are celebrating the win as they have shared that getting access to the internal documents would prove to be the key to the case success.

They went on to share that these documents could reveal whether the release of Lamar's diss track was a broader scheme involving label to diminish Drake's reputation in the industry.

If the documents unveiled that UMG actively encourage Lamar to release the diss track as part of a strategic campaign, it could strengthen Drake's defamation claim significantly.

Notably, the conclusion of the legal battle between the biggest names of hip-hop could potential change the how music industry views label influence, commercial competition and artistic freedom.