A U.S. federal judge has dismissed rapper Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us.” The ruling marks the latest chapter in the high-profile feud between the two rap superstars.
In 2024, the artists traded a series of increasingly hostile diss tracks, with Lamar’s “Not Like Us”— a chart-topping single — widely seen as the defining blow.
Drake had filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal, which represents both artists, of prioritizing profits over loyalty by heavily promoting Lamar’s track. He claimed the song contained punch lines that falsely implied he was a pedophile, alleging it led to “a physical threat to Drake’s safety” and “a bombardment of online harassment.”
However, Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar’s lyrics were not legally defamatory, stating they represented artistic expression rather than factual allegations.
“The issue in this case is whether ‘Not Like Us’ can reasonably be understood to convey as a factual matter that Drake is a pedophile or that he has engaged in sexual relations with minors,” Vargas wrote. “In light of the overall context in which the statements in the recording were made, the Court holds that it cannot.”
Universal Music Group welcomed the decision, describing the lawsuit as “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 company said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Lamar — who performed the Grammy-winning “Not Like Us” during the Super Bowl halftime show in February — made a subtle nod to the controversy during his live performance, altering the song’s profanity and omitting the word “pedophile.” Still, he delivered the bar that fans dubbed the “money line,” rapping, “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minoooooor,” before a crowd of more than 130 million viewers.
