Drake Demands To See Kendrick Lamar’s Record Contract As UMG Legal Battle Heats Up
Drake is reportedly demanding to see Kendrick Lamar‘s record contract amid his legal battle with Universal Music Group – which has the label asking a federal judge to halt all discovery.
According to documents obtained by Billboard, UMG is arguing that Drizzy is unfairly demanding “highly commercially sensitive documents” and should be stopped. In addition, they also allege he is demanding “executive compensation details, specifically the annual incentive plans for John Janick, CEO of Interscope Records.”
In response to UMG’s request to halt discovery, Drake’s attorney Michael Gottlieb told Billboard in a statement: “It is unsurprising that UMG is desperate to avoid discovery. This motion is a ploy to delay producing documents and communications that UMG hopes to keep hidden and buried. If UMG has nothing to hide, it should not have an issue with discovery.”
A judge has yet to rule.
Earlier this week, UMG also filed a request to dismiss Drake’s lawsuit with prejudice.
“Plaintiff, one of the most successful rap artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated,” lawyers for the label wrote. “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff’s complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
Gottlieb also responded to this, with similar sentiments as his above statement.
“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence,” he wrote. “This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering and abusing its artists.”
Judge Jeanette Vargas previously ruled that a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 2, which UMG had tried to delay, will take place. In addition, discovery in the case — where the parties exchange information — will begin, despite the corporation claiming that starting the process at this point was “premature” given the state of the case.