US judge tosses Drake lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us

NEW YORK – An American federal judge in New York on Oct 9 threw out a defamation case filed by Canadian rapper Drake against his own label Universal Music Group over American rapper Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track.

In 2024, the superstar rappers exchanged a litany of increasingly vitriolic songs, with Lamar, 38, delivering the major blow with his chart-topping Not Like Us.

In his suit filed in January, Drake, also 38, accused Universal – which is behind both artistes – of betraying him in favour of profits by promoting the song, which features punchlines that accuse him of paedophilia.

The lawsuit also cited the track’s promotion as causing a “physical threat to Drake’s safety” as well as a “bombardment of online harassment”.

But Judge Jeannette Vargas said Lamar’s lyrics about Drake – born Aubrey Drake Graham – amounted to “non-actionable opinion”.

“The issue in this case is whether Not Like Us can reasonably be understood to convey as a factual matter that Drake is a paedophile or that he has engaged in sexual relations with minors,” Judge Vargas wrote in her ruling.

“In light of the overall context in which the statements in the recording were made, the Court holds that it cannot.”

In a statement after the ruling, Universal Music Group called the suit “an affront to all artistes 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.”

Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize winner, went on to perform the Grammy-winning Not Like Us as the headliner of the Super Bowl half-time show in February.

He cut the profanity and the word “paedophile”, but did not stop short of the money line, rapping “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minoooooor” on live television in front of more than 130 million viewers. AFP