Drake refuses to back down from his legal war with Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar‘s Grammy-winning diss track.
The Toronto rapper filed a 60-page appeal Wednesday seeking to overturn the October dismissal of his defamation lawsuit.
Drake’s legal team argues that U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas created a “dangerous categorical rule” that shields all rap diss tracks from defamation claims.
Drake originally sued UMG in January 2025 over the label’s promotion of “Not Like Us.” The track’s hook, “certified lover boy, certified pedophile,” became a viral sensation during the explosive rap battle between the two superstars.
Judge Vargas dismissed the case in October, ruling that Lamar’s lyrics were “nonactionable opinion” rather than statements of fact. She said the song’s context as part of a “heated rap battle” meant reasonable listeners wouldn’t believe it contained verifiable facts.
But Drake’s new appellate brief pushes back hard against that reasoning. His lawyers claim the song states “as an unambiguous matter of fact” that Drake is a pedophile.
They argue UMG “relentlessly” marketed the track in ways that misled consumers and caused serious harm to Drake’s reputation.
The appeal warns that the lower court’s decision could have massive consequences for Hip-Hop. Drake’s team says the ruling creates an “unprecedented and overbroad categorical rule that statements in rap diss tracks can never constitute statements of fact.”
That protection would apply regardless of how direct or damaging the accusations might be, according to the filing. Drake argues this gives artists and labels a free pass to make any false claims they want, as long as they’re delivered in diss-track format.
The legal battle stems from the nine-track rap war that exploded in April 2024. Drake fired shots first with “Family Matters” in May, suggesting Lamar cheated on his fiancée and was physically violent with her.
Lamar responded with back-to-back drops of “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us.” The latter track’s pedophile allegations became an instant hit, spawning countless memes and social media posts.
Not Like Us dominated the charts and swept the Grammys, winning Record and Song of the Year. Lamar performed the track during the Super Bowl halftime show, cementing its place in Hip-Hop history.
UMG’s lawyers previously called Drake’s lawsuit a “misguided attempt to salve his wounds” after losing the rap battle. They argued that Drake “provoked” the beef and “willingly participated” before suing when things didn’t go his way.
Drake notably sued only UMG, the label he shares with Lamar, rather than targeting Kendrick directly. His legal team claims the company intentionally promoted false allegations for profit.
The appeal asks the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to send the case back for trial. Drake wants a jury to decide whether “Not Like Us” contains defamatory statements of fact rather than protected opinion.
UMG has until March 27 to file its response brief in the appeals court. The company hasn’t commented on Drake’s latest legal filing.
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