Drake's Appeal Over Kendrick Lamar Diss Track Scheduled for December Hearing
A federal appeals court set Dec. 4 for oral arguments in Drake's appeal of a dismissed lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'. Drake had accused UMG of defamation for releasing the track that called him a 'certified pedophile'. The song won five Grammys and was a major hit.
The Second Circuit's December hearing marks the next phase in a dispute that began when Lamar released the track in May 2024 during a heated exchange of diss records between the two rappers. Drake filed his lawsuit against UMG in January 2025, notably leaving Lamar off the defendant list, and a federal judge dismissed it roughly ten months later, citing the hyperbolic nature of rap battles.
Drake's legal team maintains that millions of listeners interpreted the song's accusations as statements of fact rather than artistic exaggeration. UMG counters that allowing the suit to proceed would threaten hip-hop's creative tradition. The appellate panel's eventual ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court by either party, potentially extending the legal saga further.
This case could reshape how courts treat artistic expression in hip-hop, where lyrical exaggeration and competitive insults are longstanding conventions. If Drake prevails, record labels may face increased liability for releasing provocative content, potentially chilling creative output across the music industry. Conversely, a ruling against Drake would reaffirm broad protections for artistic speech. Artists, labels, and fans all have stakes in how the court balances defamation concerns against creative freedom, with implications that may extend well beyond this single high-profile feud.