00:00Drake's UMG defamation lawsuit involving Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us single gets dismissed.
00:06Drake's federal defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us has been dismissed.
00:12The court ruled the lyrics, non-actionable opinion, protecting Kendrick's words as free artistic expression.
00:20The dismissal marks a legal setback for Drake amid his ongoing lyrical feud with Kendrick Lamar.
00:25Drake claimed Universal Music Group, parent to his label and Kendrick Lamar's Top Dog Entertainment, promoted a song portraying him as a pedophile.
00:35He alleged negligence and complicity, but the court ruled diss-track insults aren't taken as literal truth, making the claim legally unsustainable.
00:44The judge's written opinion was explicit.
00:47The allegedly defamatory statements in Not Like Us are non-actionable opinion.
00:52The court reinforced it with,
00:54Even accusations of criminal behavior are not actionable if, understood in context, they are opinion rather than fact.
01:01The ruling even included a cultural observation.
01:05The average listener is not under the impression a diss-track is the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation.
01:12The court highlighted that the pedophile reference in Not Like Us was a direct callback to Drake's own words in TaylorMade Freestyle.
01:20That intertextual reference framed the line as a lyrical response within an ongoing back-and-forth, not a literal accusation.
01:28By participating in the diss-war, Drake effectively invited that response, further weakening his defamation claim.
01:34In 2024, Drake released Push-Ups, TaylorMade Freestyle, and Family Matters, while Kendrick responded with,
01:42Euphoria, Meet the Grams, and Not Like Us.
01:45The latter debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, went two times platinum, and became a viral anthem with mustard's beat and taunting visuals aimed at Drake.
01:55The case highlights broader implications for artists, labels, and free speech.
02:01It reinforces that provocative lyrics are protected artistic expression, not factual claims,
02:06with courts favoring creative freedom in music, comedy, and satire under the First Amendment.
02:12Although Drake's lawsuit was dismissed, tension with Kendrick Lamar persists.
02:16The ruling solidifies Not Like Us as a defining track for Kendrick.
02:21For Drake, it's a setback that doesn't impact his music rights or label ties,
02:26signaling that disputes will play out in the studio, not the courtroom.
02:30The judge made it clear, hip-hop rivalries are artistic expression, not defamation.
02:35Rappers can battle freely, with the microphone, not the courtroom, as the ultimate arena for truth, art, and reputation.
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