AceShowbiz - Universal Music Group (UMG) is opposing Drake’s attempt to revive his dismissed defamation lawsuit related to a rap feud with Kendrick Lamar. In recent court documents, UMG urged a federal appeals court to reject Drake’s appeal, arguing that the case could jeopardize the core of rap music.

The dispute centers on Lamar’s 2024 diss track “Not Like Us,” which Drake claimed contained defamatory content. He accused UMG of promoting the song despite awareness that its allegations were false.

UMG’s legal team argued that Drake is trying “to strip words from their context,” which if allowed, could "critically undermine a highly creative art form built on exaggeration, insult, and wordplay." They highlighted that rap battles often involve provocative and exaggerated language fundamental to the genre.

In response, Drake’s attorneys insisted that “millions of people understood” the lyrics as conveying factual claims, specifically pointing out that many listeners believed the song accused Drake of pedophilia. They stressed the severity of such an accusation, stating it is “hard to imagine a statement more damaging to one’s reputation and safety.”

The initial lawsuit was dismissed in October 2025 by Judge Jeannette Vargas, who described the conflict as a “war of words.” The judge ruled that the “broader context of a heated rap battle” would prevent a reasonable listener from interpreting the lyrics as factual statements.

The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar escalated throughout 2024, marked by a series of diss tracks exchanged between the two. Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” initiated the back-and-forth, with Drake responding through “Push Ups” and “Family Matters.” Kendrick fired back with “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams,” and the chart-topping “Not Like Us.”