A U.S. federal judge in New York has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by Canadian rapper Drake against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG), over Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track “Not Like Us.”
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, ends a legal battle that began earlier this year after Drake accused UMG — which represents both artists — of siding with profits over loyalty.
In his January filing, Drake claimed the label unfairly promoted Lamar’s hit song, which included lyrics suggesting he was involved in inappropriate behavior. He argued that the track’s release and widespread circulation put his safety at risk and subjected him to intense online harassment.
However, Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar’s lyrics amounted to artistic expression rather than factual statements.
“The question is whether ‘Not Like Us’ can be reasonably interpreted as asserting that Drake is a pedophile or has engaged in sexual conduct with minors,” she wrote. “Given the artistic and competitive context of the song, the Court concludes that it cannot.”
Following the decision, Universal Music Group released a statement describing the lawsuit as “an affront to artistic freedom” and expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling.
“We’re pleased with the dismissal and look forward to continuing our successful partnership with Drake,” the label stated.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar, who won a Pulitzer Prize and several Grammys, performed “Not Like Us” during his headline set at the Super Bowl halftime show in February. Though he toned down some of the explicit lyrics, he still delivered the crowd-favorite punchline — “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minoooooor” — to an audience of over 130 million viewers.
The case’s dismissal underscores the fine line between creative rivalry and legal boundaries in the world of hip-hop — and how lyrical battles continue to shape the culture’s storytelling power.
