Drake Announces Australian Tour on Rival Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Weekend

Published November 26, 2024

Drake is making waves once again, but this time, it’s not just about his music.

The Toronto rapper is heading to Australia for a short tour that’s set to kick off on the very same date as Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated Super Bowl halftime performance. Talk about timing!

A Musical Battle of the Titans

If you’re familiar with the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, you’ll know that this tour announcement is just the latest chapter in their rivalry. The two have exchanged musical shots over the years, most notably in tracks like Drake’s "Taylor Made Freestyle" and Kendrick’s “Not Like Us.” The latter became a major hit, adding more fuel to their public feud.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been a major success, earning five Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Meanwhile, Drake, despite his ongoing dominance in the rap game, wasn’t nominated for any Grammys this year.

Lawsuit Drama: Drake Takes on Universal Music Group

But it doesn’t stop there. Drake has also recently filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) after alleging shady practices behind Kendrick Lamar’s success with "Not Like Us." The song, which Drake claims effectively ended their beef (but not the drama), shot to stardom, and Drake believes there’s more to its rise than meets the eye.

Drake is accusing UMG of using bots and payola schemes to pump up the song’s popularity. In court documents obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Drake claims an "inside source" revealed that UMG made covert payments to platforms, including radio stations, to promote "Not Like Us" aggressively. If true, this would be considered payola, an illegal practice where labels pay for airplay or exposure on certain platforms. The rapper also alleges that UMG spent thousands in May 2024 on bots to increase the song’s streams on Spotify and used influencers to spread it across social media.

Defamation, Payola, and a Legal War

The situation gets even more complicated when you consider the controversial lyrics in Kendrick’s song, where he refers to Drake as a “certified pedophile.” Drake claims this accusation has already given him grounds for a defamation lawsuit, along with the other allegations of misconduct.

It’s worth noting that UMG has faced similar legal challenges in the past. Back in 2006, they were forced to pay a $12 million settlement to the New York Attorney General’s Office over a "pay-for-play" scheme. So, it’s no surprise that Drake would want to investigate further, especially given that UMG is also responsible for distributing his music.

Despite their shared label, Drake isn’t backing down. Universal has denied all allegations, but it’s clear this drama is far from over.

The Bottom Line

As Drake gears up for his Australian tour and Kendrick Lamar prepares for his Super Bowl halftime show, it’s safe to say that the beef between these two rap giants is still a hot topic. Whether this lawsuit leads to any major legal consequences remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: the rap game is never short on drama, and Drake is once again at the centre of it all.

Stay tuned, because it looks like we’re in for even more twists in this high-stakes feud.

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