Overview

• U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas in Manhattan ruled on Oct. 9 that lyrics in Not Like Us would not be understood by a reasonable listener as verifiable facts.
• The decision dismisses Drake’s claims that Universal Music Group defamed him by releasing and promoting the song that labeled him a “certified pedophile.”
• Vargas also rejected allegations that UMG artificially boosted the track’s reach, finding Drake’s evidence—tweets and fan posts—insufficient to meet plausibility standards.
• UMG said it was pleased with the ruling and called the suit an affront to creative expression, while a Drake spokesperson said he intends to appeal.
• Kendrick Lamar was not named as a defendant; the judge noted the diss-track, Grammy-winning song and its Super Bowl performance as context shaping how listeners perceived the lyrics.