UMG Responds to Drake’s Appeal Over ‘Not Like Us’ Case: Key Takeaways Explained

The legal clash between Drake and Universal Music Group has escalated after the label filed a detailed response to Drake’s appeal. The dispute centers on Not Like Us, a diss track by Kendrick Lamar that emerged from one of the most high-profile rap feuds in recent years.

Drake is appealing a prior court decision that dismissed his defamation lawsuit, arguing the song’s lyrics made false and damaging claims. However, UMG’s latest filing strongly defends the dismissal and challenges the foundation of Drake’s case.

1. UMG Claims Drake Provoked the Lyrics

One of the central arguments in UMG’s response is that Drake effectively provoked the very lyrics he now considers defamatory. The label points to the ongoing 2024 rap feud, during which both artists exchanged diss tracks filled with personal jabs and provocative language.

UMG argues that Drake escalated the rivalry by releasing tracks that mocked and challenged Lamar, even using AI-generated voices of iconic rappers to taunt him. According to the filing, Kendrick Lamar’s controversial lines in Not Like Us were direct responses to Drake’s own lyrics, reinforcing the idea that the song is part of a broader artistic exchange rather than a factual statement.

2. Rap Diss Tracks Are ‘Opinion, Not Fact’

A major pillar of UMG’s defense is the argument that rap diss tracks are inherently expressive and should be interpreted as opinion rather than literal fact.

The company emphasizes that hip-hop culture has long embraced lyrical battles filled with exaggeration, satire, and hyperbole. In this context, UMG argues, a reasonable listener would not interpret the lyrics as factual accusations.

Interestingly, UMG also highlights Drake’s past stance on the issue. The rapper previously supported efforts to prevent rap lyrics from being used as factual evidence in legal cases—an argument the label now says contradicts his current position.

3. ‘Republication’ Argument Faces Pushback

Drake’s appeal also claims that subsequent performances and promotions of Not Like Us, including major events like award shows and live performances, introduced the song to new audiences who might not understand the context of the feud.

UMG has rejected this argument, stating that the track was already widely known and consumed at the time of release. With millions of streams within days, the label argues it is unrealistic to claim that later performances created a new or uninformed audience.

Additionally, UMG maintains that public performances often reinforced the context of the rap battle, making it even less likely that listeners would interpret the lyrics as factual claims.

The ongoing legal dispute between Drake and Universal Music Group highlights the complex intersection of art, free expression, and defamation law. As the case moves forward in the appeals process, its outcome could have broader implications for how courts interpret artistic works, especially within hip-hop culture.

For now, UMG’s response signals a firm stance: in the world of rap battles, words are weapons of expression, not statements of fact. But then, if you call someone a pedophile again and again, you’d better prove it or face defamation.