Grammy Removes ‘Not Like Us’ Clip Amid Drake Lawsuit

The Recording Academy has deleted footage of the audience singing Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” from their official YouTube coverage of the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony.

This unexpected removal comes after the track won Record of the Year among five total Grammy awards for Lamar’s Drake diss track.

Fans quickly connected this deletion to Drake’s ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which alleges defamation related to the song’s release and promotion.

The lawsuit specifically claims UMG unlawfully pushed the commercial performance of “Not Like Us,” creating a potential liability for organizations associated with the track.

The removal of the crowd sing-along portion from their broadcast recordings has not been officially explained by the Recording Academy.

According to fan beliefs, the Grammys might be removing themselves from the possible legal ramifications of the well-known hip-hop conflict.

With wins in five categories, including Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video, in addition to Record of the Year, “Not Like Us” dominated the 2025 Grammy Awards.

The track’s cultural impact extended beyond music awards, featuring prominently at the Super Bowl halftime show and a major Amazon-sponsored concert.

Other award ceremonies, including the Oscars, have made references to the ongoing battle between the two rap superstars.

Major institutions are cautiously handling this feud, which has evolved beyond traditional hip-hop rivalries to become a mainstream cultural phenomenon.

This week, Kendrick Lamar’s album “GNX” might take the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart again, despite the controversy.

Drake, on the other hand, continues to pursue his legal case against UMG undeterred, showing zero signs of backing down from the conflict.

Potential Industry Ripple Effects

The Grammy’s choice might establish a standard for how other organizations respond to content about the well-known dispute.

Industry observers are now watching to see if similar events like the Super Bowl or the Oscars will follow suit by removing references to the battle.

The lawsuit’s progression could force entertainment platforms to reconsider how they feature content connected to the dispute.

The Recording Academy’s removal action reveals how even powerful institutions must carefully navigate the complexities of hip-hop’s biggest current rivalry.

Other sites may also need to reconsider how they feature content about either of the artists as the lawsuit continues.

This footage removal from the Grammy official YouTube coverage is only one illustration of how this feud is still having an impact on the entertainment industry.