Drake’s legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify has taken a new turn. 

Just one day after the Toronto rapper officially withdrew his petition against the two companies on Tuesday (Jan. 14), he doubled down on his grievances by filing a defamation and harassment lawsuit against UMG the following day.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and obtained by Variety, accuses the music label of spreading a “false and malicious narrative” that Drake is a pedophile via Kendrick Lamar’s brutal diss track, “Not Like Us.”

According to the legal records, the “God’s Plan” hitmaker claims UMG was aware that Lamar’s lyrics and the imagery in the song’s music video were both false and dangerous. The “Family Matter” rapper argues that the label prioritized “corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists” by promoting and monetizing the track.

RELATED: Drake Crowned Spotify’s Most-Streamed Rapper for 2024 Amid Ongoing Feud With Kendrick Lamar

The lawsuit further claims that UMG “approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track” that was “intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile.”

It also alleges that the label’s actions ultimately led to a shooting outside the rapper’s Toronto home just days after the song’s release. One security guard was injured in the incident. 

The cover artwork for the “Not Like Us” single reportedly depicted Drake’s residence marked with symbols traditionally used to denote the presence of registered sex offenders.

Drake’s initial petition against UMG and Spotify, filed last November, alleged that the companies conspired to inflate the streaming numbers for Lamar’s diss track using bots and payola tactics. While Spotify formally opposed the petition, UMG reserved its right to object but had not yet done so. 

However, the new lawsuit does not reiterate those claims, suggesting Drake may be moving away from allegations of manipulated streaming numbers.

“Not Like Us” remains one of the biggest hits of 2024. The Mustard-produced track has dominated airwaves and streaming charts since its release on May 4, 2024, and is currently up for five Grammy nominations, including Record and Song of the Year.