UMG takes a backseat in Drake and Kendrick Lamar's feud
What's the story
Amid the escalating tension between rap titans Drake and Kendrick Lamar, their shared music label Universal Music Group (UMG) has chosen not to intervene.
The disagreement, now referred to as the "Rap Civil War," has been a subject of intense public interest.
Contrary to rumors, UMG does not see it as its role to mediate between the Canadian hip-hop sensation and the Pulitzer Prize-winning artist, reported TMZ.
Rumor dismissal
Was Universal trying to persuade Lamar to apologize to Drake?
Rumors had been circulating wildly about a supposed meeting between Drake, Lamar, and UMG executives.
An anonymous source had suggested that UMG was trying to persuade Lamar to apologize to Drake for his recent insult, calling him a "pedophile."
However, insiders have told TMZ that these rumors are unfounded and that UMG has never considered intervening, and "would never jump into something like this."
Ongoing dispute
Meanwhile, the feud between Drake and Lamar continues unabated
Meanwhile, the feud between Drake and Lamar shows no signs of abating.
In a recent song released titled The Heart Part 6, Drake appears to address the ongoing dispute.
He raps, "I don't wanna diss you anymore," seemingly indicating a desire for resolution.
However, he also addresses Lamar's accusation directly, stating, "Just for clarity, I feel disgusted, I'm too respected/If I was f*****g young girls, I promise I'd have been arrested/I'm way too famous for this s**t you just suggested."
Shooting incident
'The Heart Part 6' was released before Tuesday's shooting incident
To note, Drake proposed the idea of reconciliation two days ago, but before any progress could be made, tragedy struck.
A security guard at Drake's Toronto residence was critically injured in a drive-by shooting early on Tuesday.
The guard reportedly sustained a gunshot wound to the chest.
This unsettling incident unfolded after Lamar released a diss track—Not Like Us—featuring the satellite image of Drake's mansion as its cover art.
Background
When Drake's latest diss track on Lamar took dark turn
Drake escalated their feud with a diss track titled Taylor Made Freestyle on April 19, featuring AI-generated vocals from 2Pac and Snoop Dogg.
Drake's use of AI, particularly resurrecting Tupac Shakur, elicited varied reactions online.
However, Lamar's counterattack, euphoria, released on April 30, shifted the focus.
In the six-minute track, Lamar critiques Drake's public image.
He followed up with 6:16 in LA, suggesting Drake's camp has a "leak."
In response, Drake released Family Matters last Friday—accompanied by a music video.