Drake’s lawyers are quickly firing back after Universal Music Group’s recent attacks on the rapper’s defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” arguing that “millions of people” around the world think the song was literally claiming Drake is a pedophile.

In a motion filed in federal court Thursday (March 20), Drake’s team hit back at UMG’s core defense against the star’s libel lawsuit: That scathing lyrics are par for the course in diss tracks and that most listeners wouldn’t take such “outrageous insults” as statements of fact.

That argument is “doomed to fail,” Drake’s lawyers say in the new filing, because many people really did come away from Lamar’s song believing that he was — as a matter of fact — calling Drake a pedophile.

“UMG completely ignores the complaint’s allegations that millions of people, all over the world, did understand the defamatory material as a factual assertion that plaintiff is a pedophile,” Drake’s attorneys write. “UMG also ignores [the lawsuit’s claim] that the statements in question (and surrounding context) implied that the allegations were based on undisclosed evidence and the audience understood as much.”

Thursday’s filing came in response to a motion from UMG, filed earlier this week, that seeks to halt all discovery in the case. In it, the music giant argued that Drake’s case was almost certain to be dismissed, meaning that handing over evidence would be a waste of time — particularly since his lawyers are allegedly demanding a vast swath of sensitive materials, including Lamar’s record deal.

But in the new response, Drake’s lawyers say that motion “does not come close” to showing that the discovery in the case is the kind of “undue burden” that must be halted: “UMG has not stated how long it expects discovery to take, the costs associated with discovery, or any other indicator that might demonstrate why discovery will be overly burdensome.”

Lamar released “Not Like Us” last May amid a high-profile beef with Drake that saw the two stars release a series of bruising diss tracks. The song, a knockout punch that blasted Drake as a “certified pedophile” over an infectious beat, eventually became a chart-topping hit in its own right and was the centerpiece of Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

In January, Drake took the unusual step of suing UMG over the song, claiming his label had defamed him by boosting the track’s popularity. The lawsuit, which doesn’t name Lamar himself as a defendant, alleges that UMG “waged a campaign” against its own artist to spread a “malicious narrative” about pedophilia that it knew to be false.

This week has seen UMG mount its first formal counterattack — first by filing a motion to dismiss the case on Monday (March 17), then seeking the halt discovery on Tuesday (March 18). In the strongly-worded request to toss the case out, UMG argued not only that the lawsuit was “meritless,” but that the star filed it simply because he was embarrassed: “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.”

Drake’s attorneys have said in public statements that the label’s motion to dismiss the case is a “desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability” and that it will be denied. They will file a formal response in opposition to that motion in the weeks ahead.

Anitta has pulled out of her performance slot at the 2025 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, taking to X to announce the news to her fans on Thursday (March 20).

“I was really looking forward to being at Coachella this year, but due to unexpected personal reasons, I won’t be able to perform. I’m truly grateful to the festival for the invitation, their understanding, and continued support,” the singer wrote.

She continued, “I hope to have the opportunity to join you all in the future and share that special moment together.”

This year would’ve been Anitta’s third time performing at the popular festival in Indio, Calif. She first performed in 2022, delivering a sunset-timed set with guest appearances from Saweetie and Snoop Dogg. Two years later, in 2024, she joined Peso Pluma during his set for a performance of “Bellakeo.”

Despite dropping out of Coachella, it’s gearing up to be an exciting year for Anitta. In her upcoming Netflix documentary, titled Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta, the “Envolver” singer — born Larissa de Macedo Machado — gets vulnerable and opens up about her personal life. The documentary does not yet have a release date, with the press release stating only that it is “coming soon.”

Last year, she embarked on her first-ever North American tour in support of her latest album Funk Generation, which was nominated for a Grammy in the best Latin pop album category earlier this year.

Billboard’s iconic live music series The Stage at SXSW returned to Austin, March 13 to 15, 2025. This year they highlighted some of the biggest movers and shakers in Country, Latin and EDM. Billboard and Bulleit teamed up to elevate the experience and extend the celebration with an exclusive after party featuring the hottest music and the coolest cocktails.

As the Official Whiskey Partner of The Stage at SXSW, Bulleit curated a vibe that uplifted artists that not only push the boundaries of music but broaden their respective genres. Koe Wetzel and Grupo Frontera showed how they do it in Texas, repping their home state with electrifying headlining performances for Country and Latin nights. While John Summit, fresh off a globe-trotting series of shows, amped up the energy in the amphitheater with infectious beats and mind-blowing pyrotechnics.

Billboard and SXSW deepened their connection this year thanks to Austin-native mixologist, Ryan Smith, who created custom cocktails with Bulleit to celebrate the creativity and innovation that can only be found at the festival. The Bulleit Bourbon Austin Calling enticed with notes of elderberry, while the Bulleit Rye Wildcard had the perfect balance of basil and strawberry. They perfectly captured the energy of the city and the culture it creates.

At The Stage, guests cooled down in the Bulleit Lounge with whiskey drinks while basking in the beautiful orange neon lights. On the other side of the venue, Bulleit set up a stylish bar where you could sample Bulleit Bourbon and Bulleit Rye on the rocks or mixed in a Whiskey Sour or a Mule. Whether attendees were there to kick up their cowboy boots, celebrate Latin cultures, or dance to melodic beats, there was libation for every occasion.

John Summit may have closed out the stage, but the party continued downtown at the After Hours presented by Billboard and Bulleit. KSHMR, the producer and songwriter behind some of the biggest industry shifting hits, brought his one-of-a-kind sound to SXSW when he took to the stage, spinning high-energy tracks and pulse-pounding classics. Those lucky enough to make it to the after party before the venue reached capacity were treated to a performance from KSHMR and Izzy Bizu who performed an upcoming single live for the first time.

KSHMR took a second to share a toast with everyone. With a Bulleit Cocktail in hand, he said “Thanks to Bulleit and Billboard for putting on this amazing party! I wanna put on a little toast… Austin, are we having a good time?” Which was met with thunderous cheers from the audience.

The evening offered the perfect amount of style and edge with genre blending tunes and classic cocktails like Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey Sours and Bulleit Rye Mules. Whether you’re into the tried and true or trying something new, Billboard and Bulleit created an intersection of music and spirits that could only by accomplished by this pairing.

For even more coverage of Billboard The Stage at SXSW and Billboard and Bulleit Present The Stage After Hours, including exclusive photos and video coverage, check out Billboard.com and Billboard’s social channels.

BULLEIT BOURBON Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 45% Alc/Vol. The Bulleit Distilling Co., Louisville, KY. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

The first round of the Men’s NCAA March Madness is kicking off with the bottom-seeded teams taking on the top-seeded teams to see who will advance to the second round in the college basketball tournament.

No. 16-ranked Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers vs. No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils takes place at Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena) in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday (March 21). Although Duke is the heavy favorite in the game, Mount St. Mary’s University Mountaineers could give the Blue Devils some healthy competition in the tournament’s opening round.

When Does Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke Start?

Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke broadcasts live, with a start time of 2:50 p.m. ET/11:50 a.m. PT.

Where to Watch Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke Online

The Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke game airs on CBS. It will be available to livestream on Hulu + Live TV. Keep reading for more details on how cord-cutters can watch the Mountaineers-Blue Devils game online with Hulu + Live TV.

How to Watch Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke with Hulu + Live TV

Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers vs. Duke Blue Devils on CBS is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost. Sign up for a 3-day free trial to try out the streaming service for yourself.

Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks — including TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS Sports Network for more coverage of NCAA March Madness — as well as ESPN, Fox Sports, ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC and more.

Who Is Performing During Mount St. Mary’s vs. Duke Halftime Show?

The Mount St. Mary’s University Pep Band and the Duke University Marching Band are likely to perform at halftime during the first-round matchup.

Starting at 2:50 p.m. ET/11:50 a.m. PT, the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers vs. Duke Blue Devils airs on CBS on Friday (Mar. 21). The game is available to livestream with Hulu + Live TV.

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.