- Drake’s lawsuit over ‘Not Like Us’ was dismissed, UMG argues it attempted to undermine hip-hop’s creative expression
- Drake claimed the lyrics defamed him, but court ruled the ‘heated rap battle’ context precluded belief in factual claims
- UMG says Drake’s appeal is an ‘affront to all artists’ and the lawsuit ‘never should have seen the light of day’
Universal Music Group (UMG) wants to ensure Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss record “Not Like Us” does not get a second life.
In a new brief, UMG is basically calling Drake a sore loser, arguing that the appeal of his lawsuit’s 2025 dismissal is attempting to “critically undermine” Hip-Hop because he took a massive L during the battle.
In the original lawsuit, Drizzy claimed that the song was defamatory and that UMG knowingly pushed the record despite knowing its lyrics weren’t true because UMG believed the song was a “gold mine.”
Per Complex:
In a new brief filed on Friday (Mar. 27), UMG argued that Drake’s appeal shouldn’t succeed because it seeks to “to strip words from their context.” Drake, they continue, claims that the lyrics of “Not Like Us” are defamatory because “anyone, anywhere, might treat them as factual.”
“That is not the law, and Drake’s view would critically undermine a highly creative art form built on exaggeration, insult, and wordplay,” UMG’s attorneys wrote.
Universal clowning Drake comes a few months after he filed his appeal, after his lawsuit was effectively tossed in the recycle bin.
Drake’s Lawyers Argue That “Not Like Us” Paints A False Picture of The Rapper
In the appeal, the “Take Care” crafter’s lawyers wrote, “Millions of people understood [‘Not Like Us’] to convey factual information, causing countless individuals around the globe to believe that Drake was a pedophile.”
They also argued that it would set an “unprecedented” and “dangerous” precedent that rap lyrics can’t be considered defamatory.
“It is hard to imagine a statement more damaging to one’s reputation and safety than being labeled a ‘certified pedophile,’ which elicits intense vitriol, and can spur violent retaliation,” Drake’s attorney wrote in his appeal. “The court’s rule brushes aside the risk of concrete reputational harms that can and here did spill over into violence.”
Drake’s lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Jeannette Vargas last October, which is hilarious if you think about the importance of that month to the Canadian musician.
In her ruling, she wrote, “The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse. Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff.”
UMG said of the ruling at the time, “From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”
Honestly, we think Drake needs to take this L and move on.
