Drake Questions Whether Reasonable Listeners Heard His “Taylor Made Freestyle” In Desparate Attempt To Beat UMG

Drake’s pushing back against the court’s dismissal, arguing Kendrick’s track made specific factual claims that damaged his reputation.

Drake is pushing back hard against a federal judge’s decision to dismiss his defamation lawsuit, filing a detailed appeal that challenges the court’s ruling on his “Not Like Us” case against Universal Music Group.

His legal team argues that Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss track made specific factual claims about him that cross the line from rap battle banter into actionable defamation, and they’re not backing down.

The core of Drake’s argument centers on the song’s repeated references to pedophilia, which his lawyers say constitute false statements of fact rather than protected opinion.

According to the filing, the track’s artwork, music video, and aggressive promotion by UMG created a consistent narrative designed to be interpreted as factual by listeners beyond just Hip-Hop’s core audience.

Drake’s team contends that when you package everything together, the message becomes something different than just rap commentary.

Drake’s appeal specifically challenges the precedent set by the original dismissal, warning that allowing the ruling to stand would create a sweeping standard shielding artists and labels from defamation claims regardless of context.

His lawyers argue that the judge’s decision essentially created an “unprecedented and overbroad categorical rule” that statements in rap diss tracks can never constitute statements of fact, which they say is dangerous territory for future cases.

A major point in Drake’s favor involves the massive disparity in reach between “Not Like Us” and his response track “Taylor Made Freestyle.”

Drake’s team emphasizes that his diss was far less popular, available online for only a week before being taken down, which meant it had limited listenership compared to Kendrick’s viral hit.

This matters because the original judge suggested some listeners would interpret “Not Like Us” as callbacks to Drake’s track, but Drake argues that a “reasonable listener” would only know about his response if they were a dedicated rap superfan.

Drake also takes direct aim at UMG’s role in amplifying the record, accusing the label of “relentlessly” marketing the song in ways that pushed the alleged false claims about him.

His appeal argues that this kind of aggressive rollout blurred the line between entertainment and factual assertions, increasing the potential harm to his reputation and career.

The label’s response brief isn’t due until March 27, but UMG previously dismissed Drake’s claims by pointing out he lost a rap battle he started and should accept it like an artist who claims to be unbothered.

‌

Related