Drake is trying to move onto his new album ICEMAN, but he still has some legal fallout to deal with in his pursuit against Universal Music Group (UMG). He's currently in the process of appealing his defamation lawsuit's dismissal, as a judge did not find Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" diss track to be defamatory.
According to Complex, a new amicus brief filed in support of UMG shows various scholars and social scientist arguing against Drizzy's allegations. The brief opposes the notion that rap lyrics can enter a court as statements of fact, and they seek to uphold the legal action's dismissal. In addition, the brief reportedly argues that his pursuit could set a dangerous legal precedent that could lead to racial bias and First Amendment infringements.
Various high-profile scholars and social scientists reportedly contributed to this brief, including professors Regina Bradley and Erik Nielson. Bradley wrote Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South, and Nielson co-wrote Rap on Trial: Race, Lyrics, and Guilt in America.
"When rap lyrics are admitted [as evidence], it is because they are treated as literal," the brief reportedly reads. "This in turn opens the door to racial bias and stereotypes in the courtroom, as empirical studies demonstrate. Treating rap lyrics as literal also threatens First Amendment speech protections, and the practice already has created a demonstrable chilling effect across the industry."
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UMG Responds To Drake
Also, the brief points to the historical and cultural roots of rap battles. "It is critically important that courts consider the particular artistic norms around rap battles when determining whether lyrics should be deemed factual representations... Individuals understand these performances to be contests of verbal dexterity and lyrical domination, not factual arguments or a series of news reports," it reportedly reads.
Drake filed for appeal after his lawsuit's dismissal back in January, fighting against criticisms of his angle. "Millions of people understood [‘Not Like Us’] to convey factual information, causing countless individuals around the globe to believe that Drake was a pedophile," his lawyers reportedly wrote in a court filing.
UMG recently responded to Drake, claiming hypocrisy. Still, his lawyers point to a shooting at his home after "Not Like Us" dropped as an example of the diss track's impact.
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