US EditionJudge Dismisses Drake's Defamation Lawsuit Against Universal Music Group in Ongoing Feud
Judge ruled Kendrick Lamar’s diss track lyrics are protected free speech, dismissing Drake’s claim that Universal Music Group promoted defamation against him.
- On Oct. 9, U.S. District Court Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dismissed Aubrey Graham, known professionally as Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, closing the legal dispute in United States federal court.
- Drake filed the suit in January 2025 after Kendrick Lamar released `Not Like Us` on May 4, 2024, alleging UMG made secret payments and discounts to promote the diss track and harm his brand.
- Judge Vargas wrote that diss-track language is hyperbolic and nonfactual, noting Lamar's lyrics were non-actionable opinion protected by free speech so UMG could not be liable.
- UMG welcomed the dismissal, calling the suit baseless, while Drake's representatives confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Appeals amid mixed social media and fan reactions.
- The track's commercial success — including five Grammy Awards and a Super Bowl halftime show — highlights the rare case of an artist suing his own label, raising music industry concerns.
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Drake’s Lawsuit Against UMG Getting Dismissed Earns Him A Social Media Roasting
Source: Simone Joyner / Getty Drake just secured another tangential L in his somehow still ongoing battle with Kendrick Lamar. A judge dismissed Drizzy’s defamation lawsuit against the Universal Music Group, the same label he is signed to along with K. Dot. The Associated Press reports that a federal judge ruled that Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which accuses the 6 God of being a “certified pedophile,” isn’t defamation because it is opinion. …
Drake Responds to Judge Dismissing His UMG Lawsuit as Joe Budden Trolls in the Background
Drake isn’t quite ready to let the beef die between himself, Kendrick Lamar, and UMG. In his tenuous crusade against K.Dot, the Toronto superstar basically called conspiracy. For the biggest artist in the world, he couldn’t fathom the idea of losing without someone being in on it already. Consequently, he turned his paranoia and frustration into legal dispute. After lots of hearings and annoying back and forth, the judge decided to dismiss the c…
Drake's defamation case against UMG dismissed by federal judge
A federal judge has dismissed a high-profile defamation lawsuit filed by Drake against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), bringing a close to a legal battle that emerged from one of modern hip-hop’s most intense rivalries. The case centered on Kendrick Lamar’s incendiary diss track, “Not Like Us,” which UMG distributed and promoted. On […] The post Drake’s defamation case against UMG dismissed by federal judge appeared first on The B…
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