Drake vs. Kendrick, again

Drake doesn’t give up: the Canadian rapper has filed an appeal to reopen the lawsuit relating to “Not Like Us”, the Kendrick Lamar song that closed the diss track between the two, effectively designating the Californian rapper as the winner. The lawsuit was filed in January 2025, and was directed at Universal, accusing it of promoting the song “with the intent to convey the false and unequivocal accusation that Drake is a criminal pedophile.” The rapper did not directly sue Lamar – but the feud between the two has continued albeit indirectly, reaching baseball fields last fall. Three months ago a federal court dismissed his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group.

In the 60-page document filed with the Manhattan Court of Appeals and seen by Rolling Stone, Drake claims that the song “states unequivocally and as an objective fact that he is a ‘certified pedophile.'” According to the artist, Universal would have “incessantly promoted” the song, “deceiving consumers and causing serious damage to its image”. The appeal also contests the scope of the first instance ruling, which in its opinion “creates a dangerous precedent” by automatically making the lyrics of a diss track not prosecutable in court. According to Drake, “the repeated references to pedophilia, combined with the cover and the viral video of the song, convey a false statement of fact” and asks that the matter be evaluated by a jury, overturning the dismissal of Judge Jeannette A. Vargas claiming that Lamar’s verses were “opinions, and not verifiable facts”, placed in the context “of a rap battle with inflammatory language and mutual accusations”.

In its response, Universal responded harshly: “Plaintiff, one of the most successful artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he instigated and willingly participated in. Rather than accept defeat, he sued his own label in a misguided attempt to soothe his wounds.” The major will have to submit its rejoinder by March 27, 2026.