Drake dominated the news when he dropped “100 Gigs” on our heads. The release worked, with fans scouring unreleased footage and reacting positively to new collaborations with Latto and 21 Savage. The only problem was that Drake’s label didn’t appreciate the release. Universal Music Group, also known as UMG, issued a copyright strike against the rapper on August 9. They made sure to remove the three new songs Drake dropped. They are no longer available to stream on the rapper’s official website.
The copyright strike was actually confirmed by Drake himself. The rapper took to his recently published finsta account @plottttwistttttt to share the notice he received from UMG. The screenshot stated that access to the content had been restricted due to reports from a third party. The third party, of course, is Drizzy’s label. It is currently unknown which new song triggered UMG’s copyright strike. The only song that gained popularity, “It’s Up,” did so due to 21 Savage’s combative verse.
Drake signed a huge deal with UMG in 2021
Drizzy’s relationship with UMG has been the subject of speculation in recent years, with the rapper reportedly signing a “LeBron-Sized” deal with the label back in 2021. diversity reported that the deal covered every facet of Drake’s business: recordings, publishing and merchandise. Neither UMG nor Drake have revealed the exact dollar amount agreed upon, but the latter alluded to owning his own masters for the 2021 song “The Remorse.” Drake has not spoken publicly about his interactions with UMG, but it has been widely suspected that the label was involved in the recent Kendrick Lamar dispute.
TMZ claimed that UMG would end the dispute between Drake and Kendrick Lamar in May. An alleged leak said the label was concerned about the impact of the dispute on the rapper’s sales. “In UMG’s eyes, Drake is losing the dispute,” the document reads. “So from UMG’s perspective, the sooner this dispute ends, the better.” Although UMG caused some buzz online, the rumor quickly shut down the topic. Representatives for the label claimed they had nothing to do with the dispute. “The dispute between Kendrick and Drake is a matter between them,” their statement read. “UMG simply does not believe it is their place to intervene in any way.”
About the author
Elias is a music writer at HotNewHipHop. He joined the site in 2024 and covers a wide range of topics including pop culture, film, sports, and of course hip hop. He posts work for HNHH Monday through Friday, especially when it comes to covering new albums and singles. His favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, Kanye West pre-808, and Tyler, The Creator. He loves LA hip hop, but not LA sports teams. The first album he ever bought was Big Willie Style by Will Smith, which he says is still a pretty good listen.
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