Drake and UMG are heading for a round two in their lengthy legal battle next month. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is ordering them to mediate on December 19 at 10:30 a.m. ET. This of course is a result of the Toronto superstar's appeal over his defamation suit's ruling.
Chief Circuit Mediator Kathleen M. Scanlon will preside, although its taking place over the phone per Grouchy Greg Watkins of AllHipHop. This mediation is going to be a platform for Drake and UMG to discuss the legal strength of their respective positions.
Settlement options in addition to finding solutions to any other issues will also be talking points.
If this winds up ending poorly for Drake, he will be the recipient of jokes for years. Although it took some time for a decision to be made, his January suit was bluntly denied.
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Drake & UMG
Judge Jeannette Vargas essentially said that despite the pedophile accusation being hefty, with it coming in the context of a rap battle, listeners aren't expected to really believe it.
In her words, "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."
UMG was pretty happy to see this sort of definitive result. "From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. 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."
