Overview
- Drake filed a 60-page opening brief with the Second Circuit seeking to overturn the October dismissal and revive his damages claim against Universal Music Group.
- The appeal argues Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics labeled him a “certified pedophile” as an unambiguous factual assertion capable of being proven true or false.
- Drake alleges UMG “relentlessly” marketed the song, video, and artwork in ways that misled listeners and damaged his reputation.
- U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas previously ruled the lyrics were nonactionable opinion given the broader context of a heated rap battle.
- UMG’s response brief is due March 27, 2026, with the appeal underscoring wider questions about defamation liability for viral diss tracks that reached mainstream audiences through Grammy wins and a Super Bowl performance.