Kai Cenat, the popular streamer, has spoken out after being named in Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG). The lawsuit includes claims that UMG removed copyright restrictions on Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us,” to spread its “defamatory content” widely and quickly across platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Kai’s reaction video to the song was specifically mentioned in the legal filing.
During a recent Twitch stream, Cenat was shocked to learn of his name’s inclusion in the lawsuit while reading through the document live. “Wait, why am I in this sh–?! Wait, hold on! I’m getting sued?!” he exclaimed, initially misunderstanding the situation. He recalled that Drake had messaged him on Instagram back in May, encouraging him to stay on stream for the release of his own diss track, “Family Matters.” “N—a, this night I was told to stay on stream!” Kai shouted.
Cenat later realized he was not being sued and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, I’m good! I’m alright! So he’s just using us as examples of spreading misinformation type sh–?” he said. Addressing rumors that UMG paid him and other creators to react to “Not Like Us,” he firmly denied the allegations. “N—as ain’t that weak!” he said. Despite the controversy, Kai expressed excitement over the success of his reaction videos to both Drake’s and Kendrick Lamar’s diss tracks. “Both ways, n—as ate crazy, gang. I wasn’t even complaining. All my sh–’s monetized.”
The lawsuit, which spans 81 pages, accuses UMG of not only facilitating the spread of the allegedly defamatory song but also inciting real-life violence. Drake’s legal team highlighted a shooting at his Toronto home, which occurred shortly after the song’s release and injured a security guard. They also cited multiple trespassing incidents as evidence of increased danger. Due to safety concerns, Drake reportedly pulled his son out of elementary school in Toronto.
Drake’s lawyers argue that UMG’s actions were driven by financial motives and an attempt to “devalue Drake’s music and brand” during contract renegotiations. The filing claims UMG artificially boosted the song’s popularity through streaming bots and payola. Additionally, the suit alleges that UMG “whitelisted” “Not Like Us,” enabling content creators like Kai Cenat to legally republish and profit from reaction videos. “These content creators could not have legally republished the Defamatory Material in full or profited from their reaction videos without UMG first whitelisting the Recording,” the lawsuit states.
Drake’s complaint emphasizes that his dispute lies solely with UMG, not with Kendrick Lamar, who wrote and performed the lyrics in question. “This lawsuit is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us,’” the document reads. “It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false but dangerous.”
In response, UMG issued a statement calling Drake’s accusations “untrue” and “illogical.” They defended their relationship with the rapper, stating, “We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success.”
UMG further argued that Drake’s lawsuit seeks to “weaponize the legal process” to suppress artistic expression. “Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists. He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.”
The lawsuit has sparked significant discussion online, with fans and creators closely watching how the high-profile legal battle unfolds.
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