Drake Appeals Dismissal Of ‘Not Like Us’ Defamation Case

Drake is doing everything possible to keep his defamation case alive in the courts.

According to a report Rolling Stone published on Wednesday, January 21, Drake's attorneys filed a 60-page appeal against a judge's previous ruling to dismiss his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group. In it, the rapper argues that the decision could set a “dangerous categorical rule” that would make the diss track unactionable in the court of law.

“The court effectively created an unprecedented and overbroad categorical rule that statements in rap diss tracks can never constitute statements of fact,” Drake's appeal says.

The 39-year-old artist alleges that Kendrick Lamar labeled him a "certified pedophile" as if it were an “unambiguous matter of fact." He also claims UMG “relentlessly” marketed the record to their consumers, which tarnished his brand. In addition, he believes that the references to pedophilia, the “ubiquitous cover art,” and its viral music video portray a false statement as fact that should be argued in front of a jury. Long story short, Drake is asking the court for a trial to determine the ultimate ruling in his defamation case.

Drake previously filed his notice of appeal back in November. In her ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Jeannette A. Vargas argued that Lamar's allegations of pedophilia against the Canadian artist were part of “a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants" and determined the claims were “non-actionable opinion” rather than statements of fact.

“Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated,” lawyers for UMG wrote following the judge's ruling. “Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds.”

UMG has yet to respond to Drake's appeal. They have until March 27 to do so.