Drake isn’t letting the courts close the book on his legal fight just yet. On Wednesday, his legal team confirmed plans to appeal a recent decision dismissing his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group.
The rapper had accused UMG of intentionally promoting Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us,” knowing it implied damaging falsehoods about him, including disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct.
But Judge Jeannette Vargas threw out the case, saying the diss track’s lyrics were not statements of fact, but opinion wrapped in typical rap battle bravado.
“’Not Like Us’ is replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language, all of which are indicia of opinion,” she wrote.
In her ruling, Vargas said the feud between Drake and Kendrick marked one of the genre’s most explosive rivalries, adding, “A rap diss track would not create more of an expectation in the average listener that the lyrics state sober facts instead of opinion.”
Despite the dismissal, Drake is not ready to let go. UMG has not yet responded publicly to this legal update.
