Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group dismissed | Drake
A federal judge has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), ruling that the company cannot be held liable for promoting Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track Not Like Us.
U.S. district judge Jeannette Vargas ruled on Thursday that the song’s lyrics expressed an “actionable opinion” and therefore could not be considered libel.
“The issue in this case is whether Not Like Us can reasonably be understood to state that Drake is a pedophile or a matter of fact that he engaged in sexual activity with minors.” judgment states. “In light of the general context in which the statements on the record were made, the Court finds this not possible.”
In the statement made by DiversityA UMG spokesperson said: “From the very beginning, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expressions and should never have come to light. We are pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to successfully continuing our work in promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”
Drake, who signed with Republic Records, and Lamar, who signed with Interscope Records, operate under the umbrella of Universal Music Group but through separate record labels. The legal battle began earlier this year, when Drake accused UMG of damaging his reputation by distributing and promoting Not Like Us.
He alleged that the company made secret payments and offered discounted licensing deals to increase the song’s reach, allegedly to damage his brand and reduce his influence in ongoing contract negotiations.
In March, UMG filed an application to have the motion rejected. The company claimed that Drake “lost a rap war that he instigated and willingly participated in.”
“Rather than embrace the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to lick his wounds,” UMG said in a statement. “The plaintiff’s complaint is completely without merit and must be dismissed with prejudice.”
It’s widely acknowledged that Kendrick Lamar won the culture-consuming rap debate with Drake last year, winning five Grammy awards, including record of the year and song of the year, following Not Like Us.
