US Edition‘Unprecedented’: Drake Appeals Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Drake's appeal challenges a judge's ruling that rap lyrics cannot be defamatory, arguing millions believed Kendrick Lamar's song accused him of being a pedophile, causing harm.
- On Wednesday, Drake, rapper and plaintiff, filed an opening appellate brief challenging the lower-court dismissal that shielded diss tracks from defamation claims.
- Kendrick Lamar released `Not Like Us` in May 2024, with Drake claiming last year the song labeled him `certified pedophile` and gained widespread attention.
- Judge Jeannette Vargas dismissed the case in October, finding insults in rap are `hyperbolic` and not sober factual claims, while Drake's lawyers say the dismissal ignored evidence of real harm.
- UMG lawyers will file the response in the coming weeks, while a company spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment on Thursday.
- Legal analysts say the appeal could reshape how courts evaluate diss records in the viral media era, while Drake's lawyers argue that `rap lyrics are regularly used as evidence in criminal cases`.
18 Articles
18 Articles
‘Unprecedented’: Drake Appeals Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Drake has filed his appeal after his lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was dismissed, arguing that the judge issued a “dangerous” ruling that rap can never be defamatory. Drake’s case, filed last year, claimed that UMG defamed him by releasing Lamar’s chart-topping diss track, which tarred his arch-rival as a “certified pedophile.” But a federal judge ruled in October that fans wouldn’t think that …
Drake appeals dismissal of ‘Not Like Us’ lawsuit against UMG
Drake received a major setback in October 2025 when his lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ was dismissed by a judge. At the time, his spokesperson said Drake planned to appeal the decision. Now he has. His lawyers argue that the ruling “created a dangerous categorical rule that rap diss tracks can […] The post is from Music Ally.
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