Overview

• U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas ruled that the contentious lines in Not Like Us would not be understood by a reasonable listener as factual claims about Drake.
• Vargas described the track as a “metaphorical death blow” and acknowledged the seriousness of the accusations while finding them non-literal in the context of a rap feud.
• Drake’s lawsuit targeted Universal Music Group for releasing and promoting the song rather than suing Lamar directly.
• Universal praised the dismissal as a win for artistic freedom and said it looks forward to continuing to promote Drake’s music.
• Kendrick Lamar’s hit includes the line “I hear you like ’em young,” which Drake denies, and the song became a 2024 phenomenon with a Grammy, the most Apple Music streams worldwide, and a role in a record Super Bowl halftime audience.