Universal Music Group (UMG) has responded to Drake's appeal in the lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us', arguing that the superstar is trying to 'critically undermine' the art of hip-hop. The legal dispute arose after Drake sued UMG for defamation, claiming that the release of Lamar's song, which accused him of being a 'certified pedophile', damaged his reputation. Judge Jeannette Vargas dismissed the case in October, ruling that insulting lyrics in a rap battle are not considered statements of fact.

Drake appealed the decision last month, but UMG maintains that the appeal is a non-starter. UMG's attorneys argue that Drake seeks to 'strip words from their context', which is unacceptable. 'That is not the law, and Drake’s view would critically undermine a highly creative art form built on exaggeration, insult, and wordplay,' UMG's lawyers wrote. Lamar's song 'Not Like Us', released in May 2024, was the knockout punch in a series of 'diss tracks' between the two artists.

The song was not only seen as a rhetorical victory, but it also became a chart-topping hit, cleaning up at the Grammy Awards and forming the centerpiece of Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show. Drake sued UMG in January 2025, stunning the music industry as few expected a rapper to respond to a diss track with a lawsuit, a move that drew ridicule in the hip-hop world. Judge Vargas dismissed the case in October, arguing that Lamar's lyrics were 'hyperbolic' opinions that could not be considered defamatory.

In his January appeal, Drake’s lawyers argued that 'millions of people' took the lyric literally, causing 'countless reputational harms' worldwide. UMG responded that context is crucial, especially in a genre characterized by insults and exaggerations. 'The 'pedophile' statement came after Drake himself had accused Kendrick of 'beating his fiancée and not fathering one of his children', in a genre that is built on such bombastic insults. The case will be argued before the appeals court in the months ahead, with a ruling expected at some point in the next year.

UMG emphasizes that 'Not Like Us' falls within a genre typified by inflammatory insults and hyperbole. UMG’s lawyers wrote: 'Drake’s attempt to rip the words he now dislikes from their immediate and broader context has no support in governing law.' An attorney for Drake did not immediately return a request for comment. The case raises important questions about freedom of expression and the limits of defamation in the context of hip-hop and music culture.