Well, I’m guessing some of the folks on Drake’s robust witness list are thinking to themselves, ‘We are not like that,’ you get the point. The 6God’s legal team is intensifying its efforts in his ongoing lawsuit with Universal Music Group, filing a comprehensive list of 63 potential witnesses that reads like a who’s who of the music industry. Whoops.
Court documents submitted on June 2 and made public on July 14 reveal that the rapper’s legal team is casting a wide net to uncover how Kendrick Lamar’s disputed track gained momentum and whether major players helped engineer its success behind the scenes. All that remains to be seen, especially since the discovery is being kept under wraps.
Check this out. The list reportedly includes some of the most influential names in music, such as UMG CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, who Drake’s team believes may hold crucial insight into internal marketing strategy.
For the record, the “Sir” means Mr. Grainge is knighted. That’s quite the honor over the pond.
Also named are Dave Free, former Top Dawg Entertainment president, and Anthony Saleh, Lamar’s longtime manager. Interestingly, Kendrick Lamar himself is not on Drake’s witness list. Again, Drake is NOT naming KENDRICK LAMAR as a witness.
Diving in, Drake’s team is also demanding records from every major streaming platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, SoundCloud, Deezer, and TIDAL. They’re digging deep into whether UMG pulled any strings to secure the track’s prime placement. The request doesn’t stop there. It also extends into social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram, as well as outside entities tied to Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, including the NFL, Roc Nation, and Fox.
That’s what you call, leaving no stone unturned.
Interestingly or telling contrast, is how UMG filed a much shorter list of just nine potential witnesses. Their approach includes both Drake and Kendrick, arguing that Lamar is essential to understanding the creative choices and distribution strategy tied to the track.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s essential to note that Kendrick is being called as a witness by UMG, not by Drake. That part.
This is shaping up to be one of the most interesting civil cases in recent memory, and it appears that both sides are gearing up for a battle.