Today, Judge Jeannette Vargas dismissed Drake's lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which was filed earlier this year. In the lawsuit, the Toronto rapper accused the company of defamation and harassment. He alleged that they artificially boosted the hit Kendrick Lamar diss track "Not Like Us" that dropped last May. In doing so, he alleged that they fueled a "false and malicious" narrative about him.
In her ruling, Vargas argued that Kendrick's song lyrics cannot be considered defamatory. According to her, most listeners are unlikely to perceive them as fact.
“The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse,” she 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.”
Drake UMG Lawsuit Dismissed
In a statement shared with Billboard today, a UMG spokesperson made it clear that they're pleased with the outcome. “From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day," the statement begins. "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.”
At the time of writing, Drake has not publicly addressed the ruling. Countless fans and critics have, however. Social media platforms are currently flooded with reactions to the big news. As expected, Drake is now on the receiving end of a fair bit of clowning. Fortunately, there are at least a few diehard fans coming to his defense.
