Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show next month is in trouble.
NFL officials are trying to fix the situation after Canadian rapper Drake filed a major federal lawsuit against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), for defamation.
Drake claims that UMG defamed him by paying radio stations and Black bloggers to promote his diss track, “Not Like Us.”
The diss track makes serious allegations about Drake’s personal life, including claims of pedophilia, without any evidence to support these harmful claims.
It’s important to note that both Drake and Kendrick are artists under the same corporate umbrella, with Drake signed to Republic Records and Lamar to Interscope Records.
If Drake emerges victorious in his legal battle, UMG could face a substantial financial burden of nearly $1 billion!
This figure stems from the fact that Drake and UMG were engaged in negotiations for a distribution deal that was anticipated to be worth a whopping $1 billion.
However, allegations suggest that UMG resorted to an unscrupulous tactic by orchestrating a smear campaign against Drake, specifically through a feud with Kendrick Lamar. The song “Not Like Us” is believed to have been a part of this smear campaign, aimed at devaluing Drake’s market standing.
There’s ample circumstantial evidence online suggesting that UMG orchestrated a covert campaign to promote Kendrick Lamar’s music. Popular streamers who expressed criticism of Kendrick’s music have reported being demonetized on YouTube.
On the other hand, some claim that UMG permitted the monetization of videos that depicted Kendrick in a favorable light, while simultaneously taking action against copyright-striking streamers who didn’t align with their interests.
Jay-Z, on the strength of his defamatory diss track “Not Like Us,” which alleges Drake is a pedophile, convinced the NFL to choose Kendrick Lamar as the halftime performer.
Defamation, a malicious act that can lead to civil liability and substantial monetary awards in court, has been a recurring issue. Last year, incoming President Donald Trump was ordered to pay an $83 million defamation award after denying assaulting a woman in a Manhattan department store. Additionally, Drake’s law firm secured a $150 million judgment against Rudy Giuliani for defaming two former Georgia poll workers.
However, the NFL’s lawyers have now informed Kendrick that he should refrain from performing the controversial song during the Super Bowl next month.
The challenge for the NFL lies in the fact that most Americans are unfamiliar with Kendrick’s musical style, which falls under the category of mumble rap. If Kendrick is unable to perform the only song that is widely recognized, his halftime performance is likely to be considered one of the most disappointing in Super Bowl history.
