Discovery Moves Forward in Drake's Defamation Case Against Universal Music, Dismissal Motion Expected March 17
Discovery moves forward in Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), despite the recent settlement with iHeartMedia. Judge Jeannette Vargas has rejected UMG's request to delay the initial pretrial conference scheduled for April 2nd.
Drake performing in concert
Universal Music Group must submit their dismissal motion by March 17th. While UMG claims Drake has agreed to withdraw certain key allegations, Drake's legal team remains eager to proceed with discovery, citing ongoing harm from alleged defamatory content.
Drake's attorneys specifically referenced the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Kendrick Lamar, which reached over 133.5 million viewers, as an example of UMG's continued "defamatory campaign."
Judge Vargas stated, "It is not the practice of this Court to routinely stay discovery pending the outcome of a motion to dismiss." Any request to stay discovery must be submitted via letter-motion and will be addressed at the April 2nd conference.
The lawsuit continues to fuel the underlying rap beef, with fans and artists actively engaging in related discussions on social media. The case number is 1:25-cv-00399.
Drake holding a microphone
Drake performing onstage with mic
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