The headline-making rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake last summer spilled over into the legal world when the latter filed a lawsuit against his own record label, Universal Music Group. The “Hotline Bling” rapper accused the company of defamation over its distribution and promotion of K. Dot’s “Not Like Us,” and after a lengthy journey of motions and disputes, a judge has decided to officially throw the case out.
“The recording was published as part of a heated public feud, in which both participants exchanged progressively caustic, inflammatory insults and accusations,” U.S. District Judge Jeannette Varga explained in a filing yesterday (Oct. 9). “Republication cannot transform Lamar’s statement of opinion into UMG’s statement of fact… That the Recording can only reasonably be understood as opinion is reinforced by the language employed in the song.”
“A reasonable listener could not have concluded that ‘Not Like Us’ was conveying objective facts about Drake,” she wrote.
Regardless of yesterday’s outcome, the decision by the Toronto rapper to take legal action in connection to a rap beef sparked polarizing opinions in the entertainment community from the start. While some strongly felt the move was outrageous in regard to the unspoken rules of Hip-Hop, others stood firmly in their beliefs that Drake had a point. The suit dismissal instantly drew reactions, as expected, with many of them coming from the people who were ready to add salt to the wound.
Mustard, who produced “Not Like Us,” was one of the first people on the scene as he tweeted a series of laughing emojis just minutes after the announcement. Charlamagne Tha God reacted to the news this morning (Oct. 10) on The Breakfast Club, stating, “Listen, appeal, orange peel, chemical peel, Kendrick Lamar in five.”
Although the judge made an official ruling, the legal journey may not be completely over just yet. In a statement emailed to VIBE by Drake’s legal spokesperson, his team declared, “We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”
See a few reactions from celebrities and media members about the lawsuit below.
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