Universal Music Group (UMG) has dismissed rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit, arguing that his lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” are merely “hyperbolic insults” and part of a popular hip-hop feud. The label behind both artists claims that Drake provoked the lyrical attack and is now trying to salvage his reputation.
The U.S. District Court filing states that “diss tracks are a celebrated artform centered around outrageous insults,” and that allowing Drake’s suit to proceed would severely chill this creative expression. UMG also denied that the label’s promotion of “Not Like Us” invited harassment, accusing Drake of trying to use similar language in his own songs against Lamar.
Drake had accused UMG of defamation and harassment over the song’s claims about him being a pedophile, which he claimed led to real-world violence, including a shooting at one of his residences. However, UMG argues that the image used on the cover art was satirical and exaggerated, and that no reasonable viewer would believe it was factual.
The label also pointed out that Drake had previously rapped about similar topics in his own songs, suggesting that he is trying to “chill a form of artistic expression” that he himself has embraced. The lawsuit will likely continue, with UMG seeking to dismiss the claims entirely.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/arts/music/umg-response-drake-lawsuit.html