UMG slams Drake appeal
Universal Music Group blasted Drake’s appeal over the dismissal of his suit about Kendrick Lamar’s diss “Not Like Us,” calling the filing “astoundingly hypocritical” and defending Lamar’s lyrics as standard rap opinion in court papers. UMG’s brief also notes Drake later released “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which used AI‑generated voices of Snoop Dogg and Tupac as part of the back‑and‑forth that triggered the suit (Music Business Worldwide, Rolling Stone India, Music Ally). ( )
A federal judge entered an opinion dismissing Drake’s suit on October 9, 2025, concluding the lyrics at issue could reasonably be read as non‑actionable opinion rather than statements of fact. (abcnews.com) Drake filed a 117‑page appellate brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on January 21, 2026, arguing the district court created a “dangerous” categorical rule that rap diss tracks can never be actionable. (musicbusinessworldwide.com) Universal Music Group filed an 83‑page response in the Second Circuit on March 27, 2026, asking the appeals court to uphold the dismissal. (rollingstone.com) The dispute centers on Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which Music Business Worldwide reports has amassed over 1.8 billion Spotify streams, won Record of the Year at the 2025 Grammys, and was performed at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show to about 133.5 million viewers. (musicbusinessworldwide.com) Drake originally lodged his complaint in January 2025 over a track released in May 2024, and his appellate papers emphasize that millions encountering the song outside the original rap‑battle context might have understood the lyrics as conveying factual assertions. (musicbusinessworldwide.com) Court records show the appeal was formally triggered by a notice of appeal filed October 29, 2025, signed by Willkie Farr & Gallagher attorney Michael J. Gottlieb on behalf of Aubrey Drake Graham. (musicbusinessworldwide.com)
