Drake Faces Copyright Lawsuit from Universal Music Group Over Unreleased Tracks Shared on Social Media.

Drake has found himself in legal hot water after Universal Music Group (UMG) filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the rapper for sharing unreleased music on social media. The issue arose after Drake, also known as Drizzy, posted a portion of his previously unheard music on Instagram, leading to UMG taking swift legal action.

The controversy erupted on Thursday, August 8, when Drake’s recently revealed Instagram account, @plottttwistttttt, shared a screenshot of a violation notice issued by Instagram. The notice, which identified UMG as the complainant, did not specify which newly released track had breached the platform’s copyright agreement, leaving fans speculating.

Earlier this week, Drake shocked music fans worldwide by releasing a treasure trove of unreleased songs, videos, and even old concept ideas for decorating his private jet. The release was made available through a website called 100gigs.org and promoted via the new Instagram account @plottttwistttttt. The collection included 100 GB of files, with three standout unreleased tracks: “It’s Up” featuring Young Thug and 21 Savage, “Housekeeping Knows” featuring Latto, and a third track titled “Blue Green Red.”

In addition to the unreleased tracks, the release featured behind-the-scenes footage from the studio, the making of the “Hotline Bling” video, and a 16-page “outside-the-box idea package” for Drake’s private jet. The sheer volume and significance of the content sent fans into a frenzy, eager to explore the rapper’s unreleased work.

The drama took another turn when Latto, one of the featured artists, took to social media to further explain the release. She shared a clip of her rap verse from their collaboration on X (formerly Twitter), which was then reposted on the Plot Twist Instagram account. Producer Gordo, who worked on the track “Housekeeping Knows,” also joined in, proudly declaring on X, “DRAKE – HOUSEKEEPING KNOWS PRODUCED BY ME!!!! HE’S BACK!!!”

However, it appears that Universal Music Group is claiming Drake overstepped his boundaries by releasing this music, as the artist is still under contract with the label. This legal dispute highlights the complexities of music ownership and the rights artists have—or don’t have—over their unreleased work.

Among the other content shared was a video clip featuring Drake and his producer Noah “40” Shebib, discussing the likelihood of JAY-Z submitting his verse for the track “Talk Up” from the “Scorpion” album at a critical moment. In the clip, Drake is seen strategizing his next move, aware that JAY-Z, also known as Hov, would be performing with Beyoncé on their On the Run II Tour that evening, leaving limited time to record.

Drake candidly shared with his team, “I’m just gonna lay low for like two hours while Hov’s performing because I don’t want him to hit me up like, ‘Yo, what do you think of this?’ and I’m not available to respond.” Anticipating JAY-Z’s post-show routine, Drake added, “He’s on stage right now. Two hours, four hours. He’s gonna come off stage, shower, maybe have a drink, and then head back to Guru to write and [record]. So that process is going to take two hours.”

As this legal saga unfolds, the situation underscores the often murky waters of intellectual property rights in the music industry. Drake’s decision to share unreleased content has led to a significant legal challenge from Universal Music Group, raising questions about artists’ control over their own work and the potential consequences of sharing it without label approval.

Fans and industry insiders alike will be watching closely as this case develops, wondering how it will impact Drake’s relationship with his label and the future release of his music.