Drake’s defamation case in opposition to UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” returned to court docket, because the label sought to dismiss the go well with.

Drake’s defamation lawsuit in opposition to Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s diss monitor “Not Like Us” returned to court docket Monday (June 30) for a listening to on the label’s movement to dismiss.

The federal listening to in New York targeted on whether or not Lamar’s “licensed pedophile” line crossed a authorized line, NBC Information reviews.

Drake’s authorized workforce argued UMG amplified the track’s attain, damaging his popularity by selling defamatory content material to an enormous viewers.

UMG pushed again, insisting the diss monitor falls squarely throughout the long-standing Hip-Hop custom of exaggerated lyrical jabs.

“What you hear in these rap battles is trash-talking within the excessive, and it’s not, and shouldn’t be handled as, statements of reality,” UMG’s lawyer instructed the court docket.

Choose Jeannette Vargas didn’t challenge a ruling however pressed each side on how the typical listener would possibly interpret the lyrics.

“Who’s the peculiar listener? Is it somebody who’s going to catch all these references?” she requested, including, “There’s a lot specialised and nuanced to those lyrics.”

Neither Kendrick Lamar nor Drake appeared in court docket.

Drake’s lawsuit alleges that UMG’s promotion of “Not Like Us” induced reputational hurt, whereas UMG counters that Drake willingly participated within the lyrical feud.

Moreover, the label claims Drake has used equally aggressive language in his personal music.

The case additionally veers into the murky world of digital streaming.

Drake’s Attorneys Argue UMG Artificially Boosting Streams Prices Artists

Legal professional Moe Gangat, identified for his Instagram account @lawyerforworkers, attended the listening to and stated Drake’s authorized workforce accused UMG of utilizing bots and different synthetic strategies to inflate streaming numbers.

Based on Gangat, Drake’s attorneys argued this manipulation reduces per-stream payouts for artists as a result of algorithms detect faux visitors.

Choose Vargas requested whether or not this challenge would have an effect on all artists signed to labels utilizing such techniques. Drake’s workforce agreed it will.

Gangat instructed this might open the door for extra artists to problem the trade over income misplaced to synthetic streaming inflation.

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The choose has not but dominated on whether or not the lyrics in query may very well be seen as defamatory by a typical listener.

In the meantime, the invention section continues, granting Drake’s authorized workforce entry to UMG’s inside data, together with Kendrick Lamar’s contract.

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