Drake has officially filed an appeal in his ongoing legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) after losing the initial case earlier this month.
According to Billboard, the Toronto rapper’s legal team submitted a notice of appeal challenging the judge’s dismissal of his lawsuit against the label. A spokesperson for Drake confirmed the move, saying:
“We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”
UMG, however, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision. The label issued a statement saying:
“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.”
Drake initially filed the lawsuit in January, accusing UMG of artificially boosting the success of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The rapper alleged that the label helped spread a “false and malicious” narrative painting him as a predator — an allegation he said damaged his reputation.
However, Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled against him, finding that Lamar’s lyrics could not be considered defamatory. She held that the song’s content fell squarely within the realm of artistic expression, not factual assertion.
In her written decision, Judge Vargas stated:
“The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse. 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.”
With his appeal now underway, Drake’s legal team hopes the higher court will take a different view of the case — one that could redefine the boundaries between creative freedom and defamation in the world of hip-hop.
