news Drake Settles With iHeartMedia in ‘Not Like Us’ Legal Dispute, But UMG Battle Continues

[Music Info]

Drake has settled his legal dispute with iHeartMedia over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track "Not Like Us," according to court records. The rapper had accused iHeartMedia of illegally accepting payments from Universal Music Group (UMG) to boost the song’s radio airplay.

Drake’s lawsuit, filed in Texas last November, sought depositions from both iHeartMedia and UMG representatives. While the case against iHeartMedia has now been resolved, details of the settlement remain undisclosed. Drake’s legal team called the outcome “satisfactory,” while iHeartMedia declined to comment.

Settlements like this often leave more questions than answers. Did iHeartMedia actually engage in pay-for-play tactics, or was Drake just looking for leverage in his battle against UMG?

Drake’s case against UMG remains active, with a recent court filing alleging the label used “irregular and inappropriate business practices” to push "Not Like Us" despite its lyrics and visuals making damaging accusations against him.

Drake also filed a defamation lawsuit against UMG in January, claiming "Not Like Us" falsely accused him of pedophilia and other crimes. Interestingly, Kendrick Lamar is not named in the lawsuit, despite being the artist behind the track.

Leaving Lamar out of the lawsuit is an interesting move. It suggests Drake sees UMG as the real target, rather than Lamar himself. But if that's the case, does he think Lamar was just a pawn in a bigger industry play?

Meanwhile, iHeartMedia is also facing scrutiny from the FCC. The commission is investigating whether the company pressures artists to perform at its upcoming festival for reduced pay in exchange for favorable radio airplay. iHeartMedia has denied the allegations, insisting no such deals take place.

If the FCC finds any truth to these claims, it could expose long-standing practices in the music industry. Could this be the start of major changes in how radio airplay is handled, or will it just be another case of business as usual?

Source: https://apnews.com/article/drake-ih...r-settlement-36d6c5cea2fbabafc3c1599d22d8022d