Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group dismissed

Universal Music Group will not face a lawsuit from Drake, who accuses the record company of defamation over its distribution and promotion of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

Dismissing the case, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Thursday that Lamar’s dissenting lead put forward an “impermissible opinion” that cannot be considered defamatory.

Lamar (Interscope Records) and Drake (Republic Records) are represented by two different labels in the UMG system. Their battle with rap hit the courts earlier this year when the Toronto rapper claimed that UMG, which oversaw the distribution of “Not Like Us,” spread defamatory allegations that he was a pedophile by making secret payments and offering discounted licensing fees to third parties to promote the song, in an effort to devalue his music and brand over the years. contractual negotiations.

Drake and UMG did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.