Drake is moving forward with an appeal after his defamation and harassment lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) was dismissed earlier this month. The rapper’s legal team filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday (October 29), confirming their intent to challenge the court’s decision.
“This confirms our intent to appeal, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing that filing in the coming weeks,” representatives for Drake said in a statement to Variety.
The lawsuit, which claimed UMG manipulated the promotion and streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us” to harm Drake’s reputation, was thrown out on October 9. Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the song’s lyrics were not defamatory, describing them as part of a “rap battle context.”
She noted that Lamar’s lyric “I heard you like ’em young” echoed Drake’s own line in “Taylor Made Freestyle,” making it clear to listeners that the diss was performative and not factual.
UMG praised the court’s decision, calling the suit “an affront to all artists and their creative expression.” The label said it remains focused on supporting Drake’s career despite the dispute.
📣 Update
Drake’s legal team has filed the notice of appeal to appeal the dismissal of Drake’s defamation lawsuit against UMG Recordings over the statements in “Not Like Us”. The case will be appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. pic.twitter.com/K4o7x990Zf
— The OVO Docket (@OVODocket) October 29, 2025
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