Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group for alleged defamation over Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us has been dismissed by a federal judge.
A New York City judge dismissed the lawsuit, which was centered around Kendrick's diss track, stating that the "vitriolic war of words" used in the song during a "heated rap battle" was not defamatory, as per ruling obtained by PEOPLE magazine.
"Although the accusation that [Drake] 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 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about Drake," Judge Jeannette Vargas wrote as she dismissed the case.
In a statement to PEOPLE, UMG said: "From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day."
"We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career," the label that represented Drake for years, further mentioned.
Meanwhile the representative for Drake told PEOPLE magazine, "We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it."
In May 2024, the Pulitzer Prize winning rapper, released Not Like Us when he and Drake were involved in a public rap battle, in which he refers the God’s Plan hitmaker as a “certified pedophile” who should be “placed on neighborhood watch.”
Kendrick Lamar then performed the hit track at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in February, which was viewed by almost 127.7 million people, the largest Super Bowl audience in history.