Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s hit track “Not Like Us” has officially been thrown out.
According to court documents, Judge Vargas ruled that “The allegedly defamatory statements in ‘Not Like Us’ are nonactionable opinion, and the motion to dismiss is GRANTED.”
In simpler terms, the court found that the song’s lyrics are protected as artistic opinion rather than factual claims meaning Drake’s complaint doesn’t qualify as defamation under U.S. law.
Judge Vargas further emphasized that once a song is determined to express protected opinion, “no amount of distribution or promotion can turn that opinion into fact.”
The decision effectively ends Drake’s legal challenge against UMG and ensures that Lamar’s chart-topping diss track will continue to be streamed, played, and celebrated worldwide despite Drake’s claims that the lyrics are false and damaging.
