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Four scholars have filed an amicus brief against Drake's lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar's diss-track, Not Like Us. The brief was issued in support of UMG's motion to dismiss the Toronto rapper's defamation lawsuit against them.
In a court filing dated May 14 obtained by AllHipHop, the group of scholars, including Charis Kubrin, Jack Lerner, Adam Dunbar, and Kyle Winnen, filed the motion. They warned the court that Drake's lawsuit against UMG could have racial undertones and repercussions.
"Drake’s defamation claim rests on the assumption that every word of ‘Not Like Us’ should be taken literally, as a factual representation. This assumption is not just faulty—it is dangerous," the scholars wrote.
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They argue that Drizzy's lawsuit requires the court to take the lyrics of Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us at face value or literally, which invites prejudice in the legal system. They further noted that diss-tracks are common in the hip-hop world and are known for being exaggerated. They should not be taken literally in a court of law. They added:
“They are hyperbolic forms of creative expression consistent with the unique artistic practices and normative conventions of the genre. Rap diss tracks are understood by audiences not to represent factual assertions about the opposing artist, but rather to demonstrate skill and dominance meant to build allegiance and win competitions through clever wordplay, hyperbole, bluster, and demonstrations of disrespect.”
The group of scholars also raised the question of freedom of speech. They argued that treating "rap lyrics" in the "literal" sense threatens "First Amendment speech protections".
“When rap lyrics are admitted, it is because they are treated as literal. This in turn opens the door to racial bias and stereotypes into the courtroom, as empirical studies have demonstrated,” their filing stated.
Kendrick Lamar released Not Like Us during his well-known beef with Drizzy between March and May 2024. The track went on to become a massive hit for the rapper and is widely considered among the greatest diss-tracks of all time. However, it has had its fair share of controversies as Lamar famously name-dropped and accused Drizzy of p*dophilia in the song.
Drake's lawsuit against UMG in the context of Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us explained
In January 2025, Drake officially filed a lawsuit against his record label, Universal Music Group, accusing it of defamation. The rapper also claimed that UMG used illegal means and fake bots to boost the streams of Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us.
According to the rapper, UMG could have stopped the release of Not Like Us, which falsely accused him of p*dophilia. However, they did not do so and helped boost its streams and sales. Drake's original legal filing against UMG also accused streaming giants Spotify of similar allegations. However, his January lawsuit did not mention them. In his initial November lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Court, Drake alleged,
"UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices. It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves."
Drizzy's lawyers also accused UMG of violating the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) over dishonest business practices and organized crime. The lawsuit further alleged that UMG paid influencers to promote Not Like Us online and used bots to inflate its numbers.
“UMG … conspired with and paid currently unknown parties to use ‘bots’ to artificially inflate the spread of ‘Not Like Us’ and deceive consumers into believing the song was more popular than it was in reality," the lawsuit alleged.
In March, UMG filed a motion to dismiss Drizzy's lawsuit. In April, the OVO founder's lawyers amended his complaint to include further charges in light of Kendrick Lamar performing at the 2025 Super Bowl in February. The rapper claimed that UMG helped promote K Dot's Super Bowl performance and agreed to let the track play at the Grammy Awards this year.
Kendrick Lamar notably performed Not Like Us at the Super Bowl, although he altered the lyrics to avoid using the word "p*dophile" as in the original lyrics. The rapper has also been performing the track in every show of his ongoing Grand National Tour with SZA. Moreover, Kendrick Lamar won five Grammy Awards for Not Like Us, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
In response to Drizzy's amended lawsuit, UMG's legal team wrote,
"As Drake concedes, Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance did not include the lyric that Drake or his associates are ‘certified p*dophiles’ (i.e., the alleged ‘Defamatory Material’ that is at the heart of this case).
They added,
The focus of Drake’s new claims—that ‘the largest audience for a Super Bowl halftime show ever’ did not hear Lamar call Drake or his crew p*dophiles—betrays this case for what it is: Drake’s attack on the commercial and creative success of the rap artist who defeated him, rather than the content of Lamar’s lyrics."
Drake's battle with Universal Music Group is ongoing, and further developments are awaited. Meanwhile, the rapper last released new music in February this year. His last album was SS4U in collaboration with PartyNextDoor.
