Drake Says His Reputation Was Destroyed By “Not Like Us” — Now He’s Taking Universal Music Group Back to Court

Drake is not going down without a fight in his quest to hold Universal Music Group accountable for the smash hit, “Not Like Us.”

The Toronto rapper is continuing his legal push after a judge shut down his initial lawsuit against Universal Music Group earlier this year. Drake first filed suit in January, accusing the label of defamation and harassment tied to the release and promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s chart-dominating diss record. He claimed the company played a role in boosting the song’s reach in a way that spread what he described as a “false and malicious” narrative portraying him as an alleged predator.

In October, the case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, who ruled that the lyrics could not reasonably be treated as statements of fact. Her decision leaned heavily on the context of a highly public rap feud and how audiences interpret diss records.

“The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse,” Vargas wrote. “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.”

Drake is now challenging that conclusion. According to Rolling Stone, he filed an opening appellate brief on January 21 seeking to overturn the dismissal. In the filing, Drake argues that the song’s line labeling him a “certified pedophile” is presented as an “unambiguous matter of fact,” not artistic insult or hyperbole.

He also takes aim at the broader implications of the ruling, claiming it effectively gives artists and labels blanket protection. “The court effectively created an unprecedented and overbroad categorical rule that statements in rap diss tracks can never constitute statements of fact,” Drake alleges. Universal Music Group is scheduled to file its response by March 27.