Drake is being accused of attempting to muzzle Hip-Hop’s long-standing custom of lyrical fight in an try to undermine the First Modification along with his lawsuit in opposition to Kendrick Lamar.
The rapper faces renewed authorized resistance from Common Music Group over his lawsuit concentrating on Lamar’s chart-topping diss observe “Not Like Us.”
The authorized battle stems from a heated two-month lyrical alternate in 2024 between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which noticed the 2 rap heavyweights commerce 9 diss tracks.
Drake’s lawsuit initially centered on the lyric in “Not Like Us” that he claims defamed him by calling him a “licensed pedophile.”
However after UMG filed a movement to dismiss, Drake filed an amended criticism and shifted his focus to Kendrick Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl efficiency, though the lyric in query was omitted from the present.
UMG is now asking a decide to toss the case solely, calling the claims baseless and constitutionally harmful.
“Assessed in context, because it should be, ‘Not Like Us’ conveys nonactionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole,” UMG lawyer Rollin A. Ransom defined. “Certainly, diss tracks are a preferred and celebrated artwork kind centered round outrageous insults and they’d be chilled if Drake’s swimsuit had been permitted to proceed.”
Ransom didn’t maintain again from declaring what he noticed as hypocrisy in Drake’s place.
“Drake, who had no issues utilizing UMG’s platform to publish slurs about Lamar throughout their rap feud, now claims ‘Not Like Us’ is defamatory. These allegations—immediately aimed toward chilling official inventive expression safeguarded by the First Modification—are meritless,” he mentioned.
UMG argues that any defamation claims fall flat as a result of the statements within the tune aren’t factual assertions however reasonably exaggerated opinions typical of rap battles.
The label additionally took goal at Drake’s personal lyrical content material, noting that he used UMG’s platform to launch diss tracks accusing Kendrick Lamar of home abuse and questioning the paternity of his baby.
UMG says this undermines Drake’s credibility in claiming to be a sufferer of defamation. The label’s submitting frames the lawsuit as much less about authorized hurt and extra about Drake’s bruised ego.
The label mentioned the rapper is attempting to “salve his wounds” after shedding a public rap feud and is now concentrating on the industrial success of “Not Like Us,” which grew to become the best-selling rap tune of 2024
UMG is asking the courtroom to dismiss Drake’s amended criticism with prejudice, which might forestall him from refiling the case.
Drake’s authorized struggle over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” drew hearth from UMG, which accused him of attempting to silence diss tracks and stifle free speech.