Drake’s legal battle with Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us” has officially moved into the discovery stage, and things are getting increasingly tense. The Toronto superstar’s attorneys have asked to see an unredacted version of Lamar’s record deal with UMG, claiming they need to confirm whether the label has a contractual duty to prevent defamatory material from being released. The 22-page contract they received was so heavily redacted that it was essentially unreadable. If an unredacted copy is provided, it will be filed under seal.

Drake’s team also wants internal emails from UMG CEO Lucian Grainge related to “Not Like Us.” The company insists Grainge had “no meaningful involvement” in the record’s release, but Drake’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, argues that shielding him from discovery is “unfair” and “unsupported by law.”

The requests go beyond contracts and emails. In a surprising twist, the “What Did I Miss” rapper’s team alleges that UMG’s marketing staff were encouraged during an “all-hands” meeting to stream Lamar’s diss track on their personal Spotify accounts — with the promise of being reimbursed for any costs. Lawyers are framing this as part of a broader effort to understand UMG’s authority to block songs and whether that power has been exercised in the past.

UMG has pushed back, accusing Drake of fueling the beef himself through his music and public statements, while noting that he only took legal issue with Lamar’s pedophile accusation — not other bars about domestic violence or paternity. That stance has led Drake’s team to demand documents related to Lamar’s children and any domestic violence claims connected to him.

Rap battles have always been a competitive sport, but this marks the first time one has landed in a lawsuit over lyrics. The question now is whether hip hop’s next chapter will play out less in the booth and more in front of a judge — and what that means for the culture moving forward.