EXCLUSIVE: Drake Officially Appeals, Continues “Not Like Us” War With UMG

October 29, 2025

Drake escalated his legal clash with UMG p by appealing a federal court’s dismissal of his defamation case over “Not Like Us.”

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Drake has officially taken his legal battle with Universal Music Group to the next level by filing an appeal after a federal judge tossed out his defamation suit over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

On October 29, attorneys for the rapper submitted a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

The filing reads: “Plaintiff Aubrey Drake Graham hereby appeals from the District Court’s Opinion and Order entered on October 9, 2025 (ECF No. 96) in the above-captioned case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.”

The move follows a ruling by Judge Jeannette Vargas, who dismissed Drake’s lawsuit earlier this month in Manhattan federal court.

The case centered around the claim that Lamar’s Grammy-winning track falsely portrayed Drake as a pedophile, which the Toronto artist argued placed both him and his family in danger.

Judge Vargas concluded the lyrics were a “nonactionable opinion” and fell under the umbrella of protected artistic expression. She also noted the song’s context—an aggressive Hip-Hop feud—would not lead a reasonable person to interpret the lyrics as factual statements.

Drake did not sue Kendrick Lamar directly. Instead, he targeted Universal Music Group, the distributor of “Not Like Us,” claiming the label profited from and amplified the alleged defamation.

The lawsuit also accused UMG of manipulating the song’s success through pay-for-play tactics and artificial streaming boosts, but the court dismissed those claims for lack of credible evidence.

UMG responded to the dismissal with approval, labeling the lawsuit as an attack on creative freedom. The company stated it “should never have been filed.”

“Not Like Us” has become Kendrick Lamar’s biggest commercial hit, earning five Grammy Awards and anchoring his high-profile Super Bowl halftime performance.

The court’s decision effectively ended Drake’s claim that UMG was legally responsible for the song’s content.

Drake’s appeal keeps the legal fight alive, with the case now heading to the Second Circuit for further review.

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