Is the Drake v. UMG Feud Killing Major Label Diss Tracks? Pusha T Says Def Jam Refused to Release Kendrick Lamar Guest Verse

A live performance from Pusha T as part of Clipse. Photo Credit: Ben Sisto

Let the Drake v. Universal Music fallout continue: According to Pusha T, execs at the major’s Def Jam subsidiary urged him to censor a Kendrick Lamar guest verse on Clipse’s forthcoming album.

The decidedly interesting tidbit emerged in a new GQ interview with both Pusha T and his brother Malice, who are set to release Let God Sort Em Out as Clipse next month. The duo’s first album since 2009, this Pharrell Williams-produced project was initially expected to drop via Def Jam.

As described by Pusha, Def Jam approved of the album – save a Kendrick Lamar guest verse on “Chains & Whips.” The way Pusha tells the story, despite his public remarks about difficulties getting the touring Lamar into the studio, the recording process wrapped a while ago.

But after the Lamar-Drake showdown took center stage – and fueled an ugly lawsuit between the latter rapper as well as Universal Music – UMG was hesitant to release the track (and the album) if it contained Lamar’s lines.

How hesitant, you might ask? Though Pusha says the relevant bars aren’t direct or even indirect shots at Drake, Def Jam allegedly pushed him to “censor” the guest appearance. Evidently, he was unwilling to do so – hence last week’s announcement that Let God Sort Em Out would become available through Roc Nation.

In fact, besides allowing Clipse to find a new professional home, Def Jam also let Pusha (who himself had a comparatively small Drake beef years ago) walk from his solo contract, per the interview.

However, “allowing” and “let” don’t necessarily paint a full picture here. In a separate sit down, Pusha manager Steven Victor elaborated that Clipse had coughed up a seven-figure sum to exit the contract.

Translation: the Drake showdown is having a very real effect on Universal Music’s releases and artist contracts. With the high-stakes battle still in full swing – Team Drake closed out May by pushing back against UMG’s dismissal motion – it’ll certainly be worth keeping the point in mind moving forward.

(Side note: Lamar reportedly removed several Drake attacks from “Euphoria” as well, Top Dawg’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson revealed earlier in 2025.)

Running with the important idea (and the possible implications for not just future diss tracks, but all rap efforts), Drake’s attorneys are adamant that “Not Like Us” actually caused the public to believe that their client is a pedophile.

“UMG’s theory is that all of this was ‘hyperbole’—a harmless joke that no reasonable person would take seriously because it was part of a ‘rap battle,’” Drake’s counsel summed up in the late-May filing.

“But UMG’s theory collides with the reality that the Recording’s false allegations of pedophilia, broadcast to the entire world via the most powerful music company, have proven to be toxic and indelible. In other words, UMG’s ‘just joking’ narrative runs headfirst into the concrete facts,” they continued.

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