Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track “Not Like Us” has been dismissed by a federal judge.
The monthslong feud between the two Grammy-winning rappers came to a head in May 2024, when Lamar released the diss track in which he included false allegations that Drake is a “certified” pedophile.
“A reasonable listener could not have concluded that ‘Not Like Us’ was conveying objective facts about Drake,” U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Thursday.
A reasonable listener could not have concluded that ‘Not Like Us’ was conveying objective facts about Drake.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas
The judge added: “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, whose music is also on UMG’s label, alleged in his lawsuit that UMG heavily promoted the track to seize on its popularity for profit, despite knowing about its false claims. Lamar was not named in the lawsuit.
In a statement shared with MSNBC and other outlets, UMG said: “From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.” Drake’s representatives did not immediately respond to MSNBC’s request for comment. Lamar famously performed “Not Like Us” during the halftime show of this year’s Super Bowl, which drew over 130 million viewers and became the most-watched halftime show ever. The track also won several Grammys in February, including song of the year and record of the year. “A reasonable listener could not have concluded that ‘Not Like Us’ was conveying objective facts about Drake,” U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Thursday.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter and producer for MS NOW. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.
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