Drake is showing no signs of stepping back after the court dismissed his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
A spokesperson confirmed that the rapper plans to challenge the decision.
“We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it,” the statement reads.
Drake’s team clearly intends to pursue the case despite the setback.
The lawsuit, originally filed in January, centered on Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track “Not Like Us.”
Drake claimed that Universal Music Group allegedly helped manipulate the song’s success while promoting a “false and malicious narrative” portraying him as a predator amid their widely publicized feud.
The rapper argued that UMG artificially boosted the track and fueled damaging stories about him.
The court ruled in favor of UMG, deciding that the lyrics were “non-actionable opinion” and granting the label’s motion to dismiss.
The judge highlighted the context of the rap battle, noting the extensive media coverage and online discussion it generated.
“The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse,” the ruling states.
“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.”
At this time, Drake has not made a public statement regarding the dismissal.
