Drake and Kendrick Lamar Could Testify in UMG Defamation Case

UMG wants Drake and Kendrick Lamar on the stand in a bitter fight over Lamar's hit track, "Not Like Us." The case has sent shockwaves through the music world.

Court papers show a stark contrast in witness counts. Drake's team submitted 63 names of people he wants to be subpoenaed to testify, while UMG listed just nine potential witnesses, as reported by XXL Magazine.

The star-studded witness list from the "Nokia" singer reads like a who's who of music giants. UMG's CEO Lucian Grange might take the stand. Steve Berman from Interscope and Monte Lipman of Republic Records could face questions, too.

A mysterious figure sits at the heart of this clash. Kojo Menne Asamoah, accused by Drake's team of using sneaky tactics to promote defamatory material, has vanished. Private investigators struck out at every known address, trying to serve him, but no one has sighted him since.

On UMG's shorter list, both Drizzy and Lamar appear alongside Lamar's manager, Anthony Selah. Court documents make clear — Lamar isn't a target or defendant in the lawsuit.

The dispute ignited when Drake claimed UMG smeared his name while pushing Lamar's Grammy-winning track, "Not Like Us." That song, which was a direct jab at Drake, calling him out as a child predator, grabbed Record of the Year at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards.

While UMG has denied the claims and pushed for it to be dismissed, the case keeps moving forward as of now. Drake wants testimony from pgLang, Roc Nation, Tidal, and even the NFL. As federal judges watch, this music industry showdown keeps building steam.