50 Cent has offered his perspective on Drake’s recent legal maneuvers against Universal Music Group (UMG), sharing his theories on what might be fueling the Toronto superstar’s bold accusations.
Drake filed two pre-action petitions last month, alleging UMG engaged in underhanded tactics to elevate Kendrick Lamar’s scathing diss track, “Not Like Us.” The filings accuse UMG of employing streaming bots and payola to artificially inflate the song’s success and of defaming Drake by releasing a track that labels him a sex offender.
Contrary to initial reports, these petitions aren’t lawsuits. Instead, they seek to gather evidence before potential litigation. Speaking with Cam’ron on the Talk With Flee YouTube show, 50 speculated that Drake’s legal moves might be an attempt to block Kendrick from performing “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl halftime show next year.
“I’ve never seen a rap battle end up in court,” 50 remarked. “But I think Drake’s team is trying to stop the Super Bowl from causing more damage. If you sue Apple and UMG, both tied to the music at the Super Bowl, they’re already caught up defending themselves.”
The Candy Shop rapper suggested that Drake’s lawyers likely warned the NFL, claiming that airing Kendrick’s diss track could entangle the league in the legal drama. During another interview with Big Boy, 50 elaborated on this theory, suggesting the Super Bowl could reignite the song’s popularity, giving Drake more reason to shut down Kendrick’s performance.
50 also hinted that Drake’s legal actions might double as a power play against UMG, with which he signed a $400 million deal in 2022. Drawing from his own experiences in the industry, 50 alleged that UMG didn’t protect Drake during his feud with Kendrick because they stood to profit more from Kendrick’s success.
“Everything Drake says in that petition—they did it,” 50 claimed bluntly.
The saga now shifts to the courts. Drake’s defamation petition will be reviewed by a Texas judge on December 20, where he seeks to depose UMG and iHeartRadio executives over alleged misconduct involving “Not Like Us.” A second hearing in New York on January 16 will address Drake’s request for UMG and Spotify to preserve documents related to the song’s promotion.
As the feud escalates, Drake’s legal gambit against UMG underscores how deeply competitive and high-stakes the rap industry has become, especially when legacies—and halftime stages—are on the line.
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