Universal Music Group don fire back at Drake again for court, as dem dey argue say di rapper attempt to bring back im failed defamation lawsuit against Kendrick Lamar song “Not Like Us” na illogical and “astoundingly hypocritical.” For new 83-page filing wey Rolling Stone get, UMG talk say di Canadian rapper wey born as Aubrey Drake Graham dey make arguments wey flawed and “nonsensical” sotey e dey try to “turn the law upside down.”
Di new brief wey dem file for Second Circuit argue say US District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas rule correct last October when she conclude say Lamar lyrics wey call Drake pedophile na “nonactionable opinion,” meaning say e no be statements of fact. Di label talk say Drake clearly feel free to use UMG platform to attack Lamar “in equally incendiary terms” when e suit am, but now e dey find different standard for “words he now dislikes” wey dem direct to am.
“[Drake] seeks to strip words from their context and deem them actionable defamation if 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,” di new filing argue. For im ruling wey dismiss Drake lawsuit last fall, Judge Vargas find say Lamar lyrics dem deliver as “direct callback to Drake’s lyrics” inside “a heated rap battle with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants.” She determine say reasonable listener go conclude say Lamar dey rap “hyperbolic vituperations,” no be “verifiable facts.”
“The issue in this case is whether ‘Not Like Us’ can reasonably be understood to convey as a factual matter that Drake is a pedophile or that he has engaged in sexual relations with minors,” Vargas write. “In light of the overall context in which the statements in the recording were made, the court holds that it cannot.” Di nine-track rap battle wey dey center of di legal war start make headlines for April 2024. E explode when Drake release “Family Matters” for May 3, 2024, accuse Lamar of domestic abuse and say e no be father of one of im pikin dem.
Lamar respond with back-to-back drops of “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us,” with di latter hook of “certified lover boy, certified pedophile” become instant and viral sensation. UMG talk say di court correct to emphasize say di nine songs dem be “in dialogue with one another.” E note say Lamar line, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young,” na obvious response to Drake lyrics for “Taylor Made Freestyle,” wey taunt Lamar to repeat rumors say Drake don date person wey underage.
“Talk about him likin’ young girls,” Drake talk for di track. “As much as Drake may dislike that context after the fact, it is fair game and critical to consider under New York law,” UMG and im lawyers argue for di new filing. Di label also call am “nonsensical” for Drake to argue say Lamar lyrics fit be defamatory because rap lyrics sometimes dem admit as evidence for criminal cases. UMG talk say dat context, where jury dey ask to make factual determinations under different legal standards, na distinct matter.
For any event, di label note, Drake sign November 2022 petition wey criticize prosecutors for treating artists creative expression as fact. “Drake’s argument is also astoundingly hypocritical,” di filing state. E cite di petition claim say “more than any other art form, rap lyrics are essentially being used as confessions in an attempt to criminalize Black creativity and artistry,” and say such use “is un-American and simply wrong.” Di filing suggest say Drake now dey take opposite position to serve im interests.
For im 60-page appeal brief for January, Drake renew im argument say Lamar track state, as “precise” and “unambiguous matter of fact,” say Drake na “certified pedophile.” E claim say UMG “relentlessly” market “Not Like Us” for way wey mislead consumers and cause am serious harm. E talk say Lamar lyrics dem “capable of being proven true or false,” so im lawsuit belong for front of jury.
Drake and im lawyers further claim say dismissal of im lawsuit fit get far-reaching negative consequences by creating “dangerous categorical rule” wey go shield artists and labels from liability no matter how extreme or damaging dia accusations fit be. UMG respond Friday by claim say dat argument “blatantly mischaracterizes” Judge Vargas ruling. “It nowhere indicated that a diss track could never be defamatory; it simply recognized that the ‘average listener’ in this forum and ‘common expectation’ for statements in this forum were significant,” UMG filing talk.
Drake originally sue UMG for January 2025, accuse di label of promote Lamar hit song for way wey “intended to convey the specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal pedophile.” E notably sue only di record label wey e share with Lamar, no be Lamar imsef. UMG respond with pair of scathing motions to dismiss wey ultimately prevail. “Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated,” lawyers for UMG write.
“Not Like Us” go on to win Grammy Awards for Record and Song of the Year, become only di third hip-hop song to win Record of the Year after Childish Gambino “This Is America,” and Lizzo “About Damn Time.” Lamar also perform di song during widely viewed 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Drake expect to respond to UMG new appellate filing with reply brief wey due April 17.
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