UMG Accused of Plotting Against Drake with Sabrina Carpenter’s Album
The ongoing saga between Drake and Universal Music Group (UMG) just took another dramatic turn. The rapper, despite still being under contract with the label, is actively suing them for defamation. Given this volatile situation, it’s no surprise that Drake was notably absent from the 2025 Grammy Awards on Sunday night. However, one artist who did attend—and had a spectacular evening—was Kendrick Lamar.
Lamar took home five Grammy Awards, with one of the biggest wins being for “Not Like Us”, a scathing diss track aimed at Drake, which has become central to his lawsuit against UMG. Now, fans believe that the label is backing another rising star to compete with Drake’s next album release. The artist in question? Sabrina Carpenter.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Big Grammy Night
Sabrina Carpenter had a milestone night at the Grammys 2025, securing two major wins—Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance. This cemented her status as one of the industry’s brightest new pop icons. But it wasn’t just her Grammy wins that caught attention—Carpenter also announced the upcoming release of a deluxe edition of her hit album, “Short ‘n’ Sweet.”
She took to social media the day after the Grammys to thank her fans and reveal that the deluxe album would drop on Valentine’s Day—the exact same day that Drake is expected to release his highly anticipated collaborative album with PARTYNEXTDOOR. This immediately sparked speculation among fans, who flooded Carpenter’s comment section with accusations that her release date was a strategic move by UMG to overshadow Drake.
Is UMG Sabotaging Drake?
As of now, there’s no concrete evidence to suggest that UMG deliberately scheduled Carpenter’s album drop to coincide with Drake’s. However, given the ongoing tension between Drake and the label, many fans find it hard to believe that this is just a coincidence.
It’s no secret that UMG has been at odds with Drake ever since his high-profile feud with Kendrick Lamar ended. In fact, DJ Akademiks, a prominent hip-hop commentator, recently claimed that the 2025 Grammys were UMG’s way of sending Drake a clear message—and not a friendly one.
He pointed out that not only did Lamar and Carpenter take home major awards, but so did The Weeknd—an artist Drake has long supported and defended against the Grammy committee in the past.
DJ Akademiks’ Theory on UMG’s Alleged Power Play
“If Drake doesn’t look at all of this and realize that UMG just said ‘f* you’ straight to his face**, then he’s delusional,” Akademiks stated. “And I know he’s not delusional.”
He went further, suggesting that the success of UMG-backed artists like Carpenter and Lamar is an indication that the label is ready to move on from Drake.
“Music will go on with or without you, Drake,” he said, hypothesizing that UMG is making a power move to phase him out.
Who Will Win the Battle for No. 1?
Whether this theory holds water or not, the battle for the top spot on the Billboard charts is set to be intense. With Drake’s and Carpenter’s albums dropping on the same day, fans are bracing for a showdown.
Could this all just be a coincidence? Or is UMG strategically positioning Sabrina Carpenter as a pop megastar to undermine Drake’s influence?
One thing’s for sure—all eyes are on February 14. The music industry is about to witness one of the most talked-about chart battles in recent memory.
Who will come out on top? Only time will tell.
