A federal court in New York has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which stemmed from Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Reuters+2AP News+2
Drake had claimed that the song’s lyrics — including allegations that he was a pedophile — were false and damaging, and that UMG promoted the track knowing it would harm his reputation. The Washington Post+1 But U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the lyrics in question constitute opinion, hyperbole, and rhetorical “trash talk” typical of rap battles — not verifiable factual statements. Thus, they are not actionable under defamation law. Wikipedia+3AP News+3CBS News+3
In her opinion, Judge Vargas noted that no reasonable listener would interpret Lamar’s insults in “Not Like Us” as literal or factual assertions, given the genre’s conventions and the context of a heated musical feud. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul+2Wikipedia+2 The court also rejected Drake’s claims of manipulated streaming or promotion efforts due to insufficient evidence. Backyard Drunkard+1
Drake intends to appeal the ruling. CBS News+1 Meanwhile, UMG has defended the dismissal as a win for artistic expression, arguing that diss tracks are inherently hyperbolic and not intended to be taken literally. Pitchfork+2Billboard Canada+2
(Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images for ABA)
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