Drake has officially filed an appeal in a high-stakes bid to revive his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, challenging a previous court decision that dismissed his claims regarding Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping diss track, “Not Like Us.”

The appeal, filed on January 21, 2026, in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, seeks to overturn a ruling from October 2025.

In that initial decision, U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dismissed the case, viewing the song’s lyrics as protected artistic expression rather than verifiable statements of fact.

Judge Vargas famously noted that a “reasonable listener” would understand the rhetoric of a rap battle to be hyperbole rather than a news report.

Drake’s legal team, however, argues that the ruling creates a “dangerous categorical rule” that shields artists and labels from accountability, regardless of how damaging a statement might be.

The rapper contends that the lyrics which include serious allegations of predatory behavior were presented and promoted as factual, causing irreparable harm to his global brand and business ventures.

The lawsuit also targets the business mechanics behind the song’s success. Drake continues to allege that UMG and Spotify engaged in a scheme to artificially inflate the song’s streaming numbers and visibility, ensuring it dominated the cultural zeitgeist through 2025.

Since its release, “Not Like Us” has penetrated music and American culture, winning Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2025 Grammys and fueling Kendrick Lamar’s recent sweep of nominations for the upcoming 2026 awards.

UMG has consistently maintained that the lawsuit is “utterly without merit.” The music giant is expected to file its response to the appeal by March 27, 2026.