Drake is not backing down from his legal fight over one of hip hop’s most explosive moments. The rapper has officially appealed the dismissal of his lawsuit against Universal Music Group following the release of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
The song, which dominated charts and went on to win a Grammy, took aim at Drake with blistering lyrics that fueled a historic rap feud in 2024.
Drake initially sued Universal in January 2025, arguing the company harmed him by aggressively promoting the track, which he claims presented false allegations as fact. Universal, which distributes both artists’ music through labels including Republic Records, pushed back, stating that diss tracks are widely understood as exaggeration.
Drake is appealing the dismissal of his “Not Like Us” defamation case, seeking a decision by trial rather than a judge’s motion to dismiss. @lorenlorosa has the latest! pic.twitter.com/I84yR46jKC
— The Breakfast Club (@breakfastclubam) January 22, 2026
A judge agreed and dismissed the case last fall. Now, according to Rolling Stone, Drake’s legal team is appealing that decision. In a 60-page filing, his attorneys argue the lyrics declare he is a “certified pedophile” as fact, not metaphor, and say Universal “relentlessly” promoted the song, causing lasting damage.
“The court effectively created a rule that diss tracks can never state facts,” Drake’s attorney wrote. Universal is expected to respond by March 27.
While Drake is the plaintiff here, he is also facing other lawsuits tied to streaming practices and gambling promotions.