Drake previously had his lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over the Kendrick Lamar single Not Like Us dismissed, but now it seems this is not the end of the saga. As per the latest reports, Drake has filed a notice of appeal in his defamation case.
Here is a breakdown of what is going on with Drake and his lawsuit.
Drake might be looking to appeal his dismissed Not Like Us lawsuit
According to the latest reports, Drake has filed a notice of appeal in his defamation case against Universal Music Group over the promotion of Kendrick Lamar‘s Not Like Us. This comes three weeks after Drake’s initial lawsuit was dismissed in the Southern District of New York Court by U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas.
On Wednesday, court reporter Matthew Russell Lee reportedly appealed the loss. The lawsuit comes after Kendrick performed Not Like Us at Super Bowl LIX. Drake accused Kendrick of defaming him in the song’s lyrics by suggesting that he was a pedophile and groomed minors.
A representative for Drake said in a statement to Variety, “This confirms our intent to appeal, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing that filing in the coming weeks.”
The lawsuit was previously dismissed after the judge reasoned that the recording was made during a rap battle, saying, “The fact that the Recording was made in the midst of a rap battle is essential to assessing its impact on a reasonable listener.” Moreover, Judge Jeannette Vargas called it a “nonactionable opinion” that is not considered defamatory.
But this lawsuit lives on as Drake will now appeal, and the case may take several turns before its conclusion.
Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been in a feud since 2013. It has seen many ups and downs, and tons of drama. The feud further escalated over Kendrick’s Like That.
Originally reported by Sourav Chakraborty on Mandatory
