Drake filed a lawsuit targeting top Universal Music Group executives and marketing leaders at Interscope Records on claims they secretly pushed Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” and orchestrated its performance at the 2025 Super Bowl to damage his reputation.
The rap heavyweight, whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham, named more than 20 individuals in newly amended court filings, accusing them of defamation, harassment and deceptive business practices. The complaint alleges the defendants used “covert tactics” to amplify the viral diss track, which Drake claims was designed to harm his public image and career.
Among those listed are Ramon Alvarez Smikle, executive vice president and head of digital marketing at Interscope; Kojo Menne Asamoah; Jordan Bell, urban influencer and content marketing at Interscope; Steve Berman, president of marketing at Interscope; Anthony Bucher, also known as Tony the Hitmaker, and his company Hitmaker Services Inc.; Tiffany Bullock, senior manager of influencer and content marketing at Interscope; and Jesse Collins of Roc Nation.
Drake also called out Vincenza Conticchio, video and creative content commissioner at Interscope, for allegedly facilitating the licensing and live performance of “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl halftime show.
The lawsuit further identifies key executives who allegedly had knowledge of the campaign, including Bill Evans, EVP of urban promotion at Interscope; David Isaac Friley; Jody Gerson, CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group; Sir Lucian Grainge, CEO of UMG; John Janick, CEO of Interscope; David Kaefer, VP and head of music and audiobooks at Spotify USA; Andrew Kronfeld, EVP of marketing at UMG; Annie Lee, COO of Interscope; Avery Lipman, president of Republic Records; Monte Lipman, CEO of Republic Records; Faatimah Mahadi, marketing coordinator at Interscope; Greg Marella, president of promotion and EVP at Capitol Music Group; and Nicole Wyskoarko, president and head of urban A&R at Interscope.
According to court documents filed Monday (August 18), Drake is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief along with monetary damages: “For his deceptive business practices claim, Plaintiff seeks statutory and actual damages in an amount to be determined at trial based on expert opinion and analysis, plus treble damages and attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to Section 349 of the New York General Business Law, as well as prejudgment and post-judgment interest.”
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