decision<\/a>, issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, concluded that Lamar\u2019s lyrics, accusing Drake of predatory behavior, were part of a \u201cheated public feud\u201d and not statements of fact. <\/p>\n\n\n\nDrake had accused UMG of promoting and profiting from the song despite what he called false and damaging insinuations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe 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 the plaintiff,\u201d Judge Vargas wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The court noted that diss tracks in hip-hop are \u201cexpected to use fiery rhetoric and hyperbole,\u201d citing the long tradition of public lyrical feuds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drake\u2019s defamation and harassment claims were rejected in full. His third claim, alleging deceptive business practices by UMG, was also dismissed for lack of evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lamar\u2019s \u201cNot Like Us,\u201d which called Drake a \u201ccertified ped*phile\u201d in a play on his 2021 album Certified Lover Boy, became a global phenomenon, earning over a billion streams, winning a Grammy, and later taking center stage at this year\u2019s Super Bowl halftime show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the performance, Lamar added a pointed jab, saying \u201cyou know they love to sue,\u201d interpreted as a dig at Drake amid the ongoing court case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest feud began in April 2024, when Drake released \u201cPush Ups\u201d and \u201cTaylor Made Freestyle,\u201d mocking Lamar\u2019s stature and career. Lamar responded with \u201cEuphoria,\u201d \u201cMeet the Grahams,\u201d and finally \u201cNot Like Us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A federal judge in New York has dismissed rapper Drake\u2019s lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), ruling that Kendrick Lamar\u2019s viral diss track \u201cNot Like Us\u201d is protected as opinion rather than defamatory speech. The 38-page decision, issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, concluded that Lamar\u2019s lyrics, accusing Drake of predatory behavior, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":60127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[3903,15,3904,2963,3905,3906],"class_list":["post-60126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-drake","tag-featured","tag-kendrick-lamar","tag-lawsuits","tag-music-industry","tag-universal-music-group-umg"],"yoast_head":"\n
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