Drake Files Appeal to Revive Defamation Suit Against UMG Over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”

Drake has formally launched an appeal to overturn the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, escalating his legal battle over the distribution of Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us.”

The rapper’s legal team filed the notice of appeal on Wednesday in Manhattan federal court, confirming his intent to challenge U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas’ Oct. 9 decision to throw out the case. The filing begins the process of moving the dispute to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

As reported by Rolling Stone, a representative for Drake confirmed the team’s intent to appeal and said they “look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing the case in the coming weeks.”

Drake originally filed the defamation suit in January 2025, arguing that Lamar’s “Not Like Us” falsely implied that he was a “certified pedophile.” The Toronto-born rapper claimed that the lyric amounted to a “specific, unmistakable, and false factual allegation” and accused UMG of knowingly distributing defamatory content.

Drake did not sue Lamar directly. Instead, he targeted Universal Music Group, the parent company of both artists’ labels, asserting that the company facilitated the track’s release despite understanding its implications. The lawsuit also accused UMG of colluding with Spotify to boost the song’s popularity, an allegation the label strongly denied.

UMG, in a motion to dismiss, characterized the suit as “an affront to all artists and their creative expression.” Following the court’s ruling, a company spokesperson said they were “pleased with the dismissal” and looked forward to “continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”

In her written opinion, Judge Vargas sided with UMG, concluding that the lyrics in question did not meet the legal threshold for defamation. The court found that the song’s provocative statements amounted to “non-actionable opinion” rather than factual claims.

“The issue in this case is whether ‘Not Like Us’ can reasonably be understood to convey as a factual matter that Drake is a pedophile or that he has engaged in sexual relations with minors,” Judge Vargas wrote. “In light of the overall context in which the statements in the recording were made, the court holds that it cannot.”

She added that the “average listener is not under the impression that a diss track is the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation, conveying to the public fact-checked verifiable content.”

Judge Vargas emphasized that the comments had to be considered within the context of Drake and Lamar’s ongoing lyrical feud, which she described as “progressively caustic and inflammatory.” The judge noted that both artists had traded personal accusations in their respective songs, including Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which featured an AI-generated Tupac voice taunting Lamar about his supposed interest in “young girls.”

According to Judge Vargas, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” appeared to directly reference that lyric, making it part of a broader artistic exchange rather than a standalone claim. “The similarity in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to Drake’s lyrics in the prior song,” she wrote.

By filing an appeal, Drake seeks to revive his case and potentially redefine how courts interpret defamatory statements in the context of musical rivalries and artistic expression. His legal team is expected to argue that Lamar’s lyrics went beyond creative hyperbole and could reasonably be understood as alleging criminal behavior.

Legal experts note that overturning a dismissal in a defamation suit in this context is difficult, as courts traditionally grant wide latitude to artistic works, especially in genres like hip-hop, where exaggeration, provocation, and insult are hallmarks of the form.

Still, Drake’s legal move signals that he intends to push forward with what could become a closely watched case testing the boundaries of free expression and reputational harm in popular music.

The track at the center of the dispute, “Not Like Us,” was released amid one of the most publicized rap feuds in recent memory. The song, which went on to win Best Rap Performance at the 2025 Grammys, includes several references to Drake’s alleged behavior and has been widely regarded as a turning point in the pair’s lyrical war.

UMG has not commented publicly on the appeal.