A video of a group of Drake fans arguing online about Judge Jeannette A. Vargas throwing out the Toronto rapper's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group is going viral on social media. In the clip, the fans argue that they weren't doing enough to combat misinformation and control the narrative.
“Shut the f*ck up and get active," one user orders the group, before describing themself as being on the "frontlines." Another adds: “They don’t know what it’s like to actually be out here out here."
As the clip has begun circulating online, users on social media are shocked by the dedication. "I'm totally starting to believe some of these 'people' are getting paid to do this bc there's NO WAY," one user wrote. Another added: "If I ever find myself online telling people they didn’t defend Dot enough, someone please tell me to log out lol do these people not have families? Or jobs? Lol like what?"
Why Did Drake Sue UMG?
Drake originally filed his lawsuit against Universal Music Group back in January. He alleged that the company defamed him by knowingly promoting Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" diss track, despite the lyrics containing unfounded allegations. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas issued her ruling in the case on Thursday. She determined the lyrics are not defamatory, and fans understood as such when the song released.
“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,” Vargas wrote, according to Pitchfork.
UMG addressed the ruling in a statement. “From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day," they wrote. "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.”
Drake's lawyers have said they plan to appeal the decision. “We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it," they wrote.
