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It looks like Hip Hop fans will have to wait a little longer to see how Drake’s defamation suit against Universal Music Group plays out. On Wednesday (Jan. 22), Judge Jeanette Vargas granted UMG attorney Nicholas Crowell’s request for a 34-day extension in light of Los Angeles’ devastating wildfires.
“We write to request that defendant’s time to respond to the complaint be extended by 34 days, from Feb. 11, 2025, to March 17, 2025, without prejudice to requesting an additional extension if needed,” Crowell stated in the legal filing. “We request this extension because the wildfires in Los Angeles have greatly impacted [the] defendant’s executive and legal teams.”
Crowell further explained that the additional days would “enable sufficient time to respond” and noted that the plaintiff, Drake, consented to the extension.
The “God’s Plan” rapper lodged the lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” claiming the label both he and the Compton MC are signed to “approved, published and launched a campaign to create a viral hit from a rap track.” Among the biggest accusations is that the music corporation set out to make him look like a “criminal pedophile.”
He was, of course, referring to the lines “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles” and “Why you trollin’ like a b**ch? Ain’t you tired? / Trynna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor” found in the Mustard-produced track. Interestingly, Drake is not targeting Lamar in his legal claims, instead focusing on the label’s alleged smear campaign.
“This lawsuit is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us,’” the court documents read. “It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false but dangerous.”
Following UMG’s response, Judge Vargas ordered Drake and the label’s representatives to attend a pretrial conference on April 2. There, the two parties will be expected to discuss the settlement and address all other matters needed to proceed with the case.
