Year in Review 2025: Drake vs UMG – the Legal Shake-Up That Had Hip-Hop Talking

Be it for the good, bad, ugly, or downright shocking, 2025 was full of monumentally memorable moments!

Now, as the year draws to a close, That Grape Juice is reflecting on the occasions that rocked – and to some degree maybe even reshaped – the Urban and Pop cultural landscape as we know it.

Next up, Drake‘s explosive legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG).

Join us below…

The Rap titan took legal action against his longtime label over the fallout from Kendrick Lamar‘s viral, devastating diss track ‘Not Like Us.’

Drizzy accused UMG of defamation and alleged that they amplified damaging narratives and manipulated promotion surrounding the song.

In October, a dramatic turning point arrived when a federal judge in Manhattan dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit; still, the story didn’t end there.

Not content to let the dismissal stand, Drake promptly filed a notice of appeal, and now the battle looks like it will continue in 2026.

TGJ Year in Review 2025: Drake vs UMG

Drake Files Federal Defamation Lawsuit

UMG Moves to Dismiss Drake’s Lawsuit

Drake Lawsuit Against Universal Music DISMISSED

Drake Files Appeal