Mal says that he expects that Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group is far from over despite Judge Jeannette A. Vargas throwing out the case, last Thursday. Speaking with Rory in a clip circulating online, he argued that the Toronto rapper's legal team will use the appeal process to continue to battle against the company over Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" diss track.
"People have to know that his lawyers and his team are gonna appeal this and take this to another level. I don't know if people know that. This is not over with," he said. When Rory asked whether he should move on at this point, Mal replied: "Would you? If you and your team, your lawyers had things in your possession that prove what you're saying is correct."
Drake's lawyers have already 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, according to Pitchfork.
Drake UMG Lawsuit
Judge Jeannette A. Vargas issued her ruling in the case on Thursday. She determined that Kendrick Lamar's lyrics are not defamatory, and fans understood them as such when the song released. Drake had argued that UMG defamed him by promoting the song, on which Lamar labels him a "pedophile."
“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.
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.”
