Drake Appeals Dismissal of Defamation Lawsuit Linked to Kendrick Lamar Diss Track

Rap star Drake has officially appealed to the Manhattan federal court, seeking to reinstate his defamation case against Universal Music Group (UMG).

The lawsuit centers on Kendrick Lamar's Grammy-winning diss track "Not Like Us," which Drake claims damaged his reputation.

The move comes after a federal judge dismissed the case on October 9, ruling that the lyrics, which referred to Drake as a "certified pedophile," were considered "non-actionable opinion," RollingStone reported.

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, immediately vowed to challenge the dismissal.

In his notice of appeal, he stated he plans to seek review in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

"This confirms our intent to appeal, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing that filing in the coming weeks," a spokesperson for Drake told Rolling Stone.

The lawsuit, filed in January, accuses UMG of knowingly distributing "Not Like Us," which Drake claims falsely suggested he engaged in criminal sexual conduct with minors.

Drake did not sue Lamar directly, only the label, alleging UMG also collaborated with Spotify to boost the track's popularity.

Court Rules Diss Track Lyrics Not Verifiable Facts

In her dismissal, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas emphasized the context of the extended rap battle between Drake and Lamar.

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," she wrote.

The judge highlighted that "Not Like Us" followed Drake's own track, "Taylor Made Freestyle," which contained provocative lyrics referencing Lamar.

This, she said, showed that Lamar's lines, including "Say Drake, I hear you like 'em young," were callbacks rather than standalone factual claims.

According to ABC, Judge Vargas also wrote, "Although 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 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

UMG, which distributes both Drake and Lamar's music, expressed satisfaction with the dismissal.

A spokesperson previously stated that the lawsuit went against artistic freedom and creative expression, adding that it should not have progressed in the first place.

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Drake, Lawsuit, Kendrick Lamar