{"id":14614,"date":"2025-10-10T09:54:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T15:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/2025\/10\/10\/judge-tosses-drake-defamation-lawsuit-against-label-over-kendrick-lamars-not-like-us\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T09:54:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T15:54:43","slug":"judge-tosses-drake-defamation-lawsuit-against-label-over-kendrick-lamars-not-like-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/2025\/10\/10\/judge-tosses-drake-defamation-lawsuit-against-label-over-kendrick-lamars-not-like-us\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge tosses Drake defamation lawsuit against label over Kendrick Lamar\u2019s \u2018Not Like Us\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Case<\/h2>\n

NEW YORK \u2014 A defamation lawsuit that Drake brought against Universal Music Group was tossed out Thursday by a federal judge who said the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar\u2019s dis track \u201cNot Like Us\u201d were opinion. The feud between two of hip-hop\u2019s biggest stars erupted in the spring of 2024, with the pair trading a series of vitriolic tracks that culminated in Lamar landing the \u201cmetaphorical killing blow\u201d with his megahit that May, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said in her written opinion.<\/p>\n

Background of the Feud<\/h2>\n

While the track\u2019s lyrics explicitly branded Drake as a pedophile, Vargas said, a reasonable listener could not have concluded that \u201cNot Like Us\u201d was conveying objective facts about the Canadian superstar. \u201cAlthough 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 \u2018Not Like Us\u2019 imparts verifiable facts about Plaintiff,\u201d Vargas wrote.<\/p>\n

Breaking News and Related Stories<\/h2>\n

Get the latest breaking news from North Texas and beyond. By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/p>\n

Reaction to the Decision<\/h2>\n

After the decision Drake\u2019s legal team said in a statement: \u201cWe intend to appeal today\u2019s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.\u201d \u201cNot Like Us\u201d \u2014 described by Vargas as having a \u201ccatchy beat and propulsive bassline\u201d \u2014 was one of 2024\u2019s biggest songs. It won record of the year and song of the year at the Grammys and helped make this year\u2019s Super Bowl halftime show the most watched ever, as fans speculated on whether Lamar would actually perform it. (He did, but with altered lyrics.)<\/p>\n

The Song and Its Impact<\/h2>\n

The track, which calls out Canadian-born Drake by name, attacks him as \u201ca colonizer\u201d of rap culture, in addition to making insinuations about his sex life, including, \u201cI hear you like \u2019em young\u201d \u2014 implications that Drake rejects.<\/p>\n

\"Klyde<\/p>\n

The Lawsuit<\/h2>\n

Filed in January, the lawsuit \u2014 which does not name Lamar \u2014 alleged that Universal Music Group intentionally published and promoted the track despite knowing that it contained false and defamatory allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice. The track tarnished his reputation and decreased the value of his brand, the suit said. UMG, the parent record label for both artists, denied the allegations. \u201cFrom the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day,\u201d it said in a statement. \u201cWe\u2019re pleased with the court\u2019s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake\u2019s music and investing in his career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Details of the Lawsuit<\/h2>\n

In the suit, Drake also blamed the tune for attempted break-ins and the shooting of a security guard at his Toronto home. The mansion was depicted in an aerial photo in the song\u2019s cover art, with what Vargas described as \u201can overlay of more than a dozen sex offender markers\u201d \u2014 which, she said, was \u201cobviously exaggerated and doctored.\u201d \u201cNo reasonable person would view the Image and believe that in fact law enforcement had designated thirteen residents in Drake\u2019s home as sex offenders,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

The Rap Battle<\/h2>\n

Recapping \u201cperhaps the most infamous rap battle in the genre\u2019s history,\u201d Vargas noted that prior to \u201cNot Like Us,\u201d Drake mocked Lamar\u2019s height and shoe size and questioned his success in an April 2024 track called \u201cPush Ups,\u201d while Lamar insulted Drake\u2019s fashion sense that same month in \u201cEuphoria.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FILE<\/p>\n

The Judge\u2019s Decision<\/h2>\n

From there, Vargas wrote, the insults escalated, becoming \u201cvicious, personal.\u201d The judge said she considered the forum in which the insults occurred and concluded that the average listener does not think a dis track \u201cis the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation, conveying to the public factchecked verifiable content.\u201d Vargas wrote that \u201cNot Like Us\u201d was \u201creplete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language, all of which are indicia of opinion.\u201d A reasonable listener, she added, \u201cwould conclude that Lamar is rapping hyperbolic vituperations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The case highlights the complexities of free speech and artistic expression in the music industry. While Drake\u2019s lawsuit aimed to hold Universal Music Group accountable for the alleged defamation, the court ultimately ruled in favor of the music group, citing the opinion-based nature of the lyrics. As the music industry continues to evolve, cases like this will likely arise, sparking important discussions about the limits of free speech and the responsibilities of artists and their labels.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n

Q: What was the outcome of Drake\u2019s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group?
\nA: The lawsuit was tossed out by a federal judge who ruled that the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar\u2019s dis track \u201cNot Like Us\u201d were opinion.
\nQ: What were the main allegations in Drake\u2019s lawsuit?
\nA: Drake alleged that Universal Music Group intentionally published and promoted the track despite knowing it contained false and defamatory allegations against him.
\nQ: How did the court justify its decision?
\nA: The court concluded that a reasonable listener would not believe the lyrics in \u201cNot Like Us\u201d were conveying objective facts about Drake, given the context of a heated rap battle and the use of hyperbolic language.
\nQ: What was the impact of the song \u201cNot Like Us\u201d on the music industry?
\nA: The song was one of 2024\u2019s biggest hits, winning record of the year and song of the year at the Grammys and contributing to the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever.
\nQ: What is the significance of this case for the music industry?
\nA: The case highlights the importance of free speech and artistic expression in the music industry, while also emphasizing the need for responsibility and accountability among artists and their labels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Case NEW YORK \u2014 A defamation lawsuit that Drake brought against Universal Music Group was tossed out Thursday by a federal judge who said the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar\u2019s dis track \u201cNot Like Us\u201d were opinion. The feud between two of hip-hop\u2019s biggest stars erupted in the spring of 2024, with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":14616,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-14614","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com\/resizer\/v2\/XAMAT7WBHVBLBKE5FMGAJUMGZY.jpg?auth=79b299a84dc67821b72b0a12bca9452154d5d137fac32d991d66e539580edc82&quality=80&width=1200&height=630&smart=true","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14614"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14614"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14617,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14614\/revisions\/14617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/dallas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}