Drake UMG Lawsuit: Dismissed, Now on Appeal
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The drake umg lawsuit is back in the news because the Second Circuit has set oral argument for December 4, 2026. Drake sued his own label, UMG Recordings, over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” A federal judge dismissed the case on October 9, 2025, and Drake appealed. This is one artist’s defamation suit, not a class action: there is no settlement, no fund and no claim form for fans or anyone else.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What Drake Alleges
“Not Like Us” was released on May 4, 2024, at the peak of a rap battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Both artists release music through UMG — Drake via Republic Records, Lamar via Interscope.
The lawsuit alleges that UMG knowingly published and promoted a recording that falsely accused Drake of sexual misconduct with minors. The amended complaint pleads three claims: defamation, harassment in the second degree, and violation of section 349 of the New York General Business Law. These are allegations; UMG denies them, and the trial court did not find them proven or disproven — it ruled the lyrics were opinion as a matter of law.
Before suing, Drake filed two pre-action petitions in November 2024 claiming, on “information and belief,” that bots and payola were used to boost the song. Spotify said in court that “there is no such agreement.”
Case Details
Federal case: Graham v. UMG Recordings, Inc., No. 1:25-cv-00399 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, before Judge Jeannette A. Vargas. Filed January 15, 2025. The Opinion and Order (ECF No. 96) granting dismissal was filed October 9, 2025.
Appeal: Graham v. UMG Recordings, Inc., No. 25-2758, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Notice of appeal filed October 29, 2025.
Texas petition (closed): Cause No. 2024CI26782, 225th Judicial District Court, Bexar County — a Rule 202 request for pre-suit depositions of iHeartMedia and UMG. Dismissed at Drake’s request on April 14, 2025.
New York state petition (closed): pre-action disclosure petition against UMG and Spotify, voluntarily withdrawn by Drake’s company on January 14, 2025.
Status: Dismissed, Appeal Pending
There is no set date for a decision. If the panel affirms, the dismissal stands; if it reverses, the case goes back to Judge Vargas. Neither outcome creates a payment to the public.
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Who Is Affected
Nobody outside the parties. This is an individual lawsuit by one plaintiff against one company. There is no proposed class, so listeners, streamers, Spotify subscribers and radio audiences are not members of anything and cannot join.
If you see a “Drake UMG class action” or “Not Like Us settlement” claim page, it is not from this case. The two earlier petitions were requests for evidence, not class suits, and both are closed.
Is There Any Money?
The only reported resolution in the dispute is between Drake and iHeartMedia: on February 26, 2025 Drake dropped iHeartMedia from the Texas petition, saying the two had reached an “amicable resolution.” Its terms were not disclosed, and it involved no payments to the public.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 6,426 assault, libel, and slander casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025:
- 16.1% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 14.7% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 16.1% and 30.8%.
- 12.9% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 63 reached a trial (1.6%), after a median of 29.5 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 6.2 months.
- Only 87 of them (1.4%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $429,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal assault, libel, and slander cases) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
Drake v. UMG Timeline
- 1
November 2024 — Two Pre-Action Petitions
Drake seeks pre-suit evidence in New York (against UMG and Spotify) and in Bexar County, Texas (against UMG and iHeartMedia), alleging artificial promotion of “Not Like Us.”
- 2
January 14–15, 2025 — Federal Suit Filed
Drake’s company withdraws the New York petition on January 14; the next day Drake sues UMG in the Southern District of New York, No. 1:25-cv-00399.
- 3
February 26 and April 14, 2025 — Texas Petition Closed
iHeartMedia is dropped after an “amicable resolution”; on April 14 the Bexar County court dismisses the remaining petition at Drake’s request.
- 4
October 9, 2025 — Case Dismissed
Judge Jeannette A. Vargas grants UMG’s motion to dismiss, holding the lyrics are nonactionable opinion in the context of a rap battle. Drake files a notice of appeal on October 29.
- 5
January–April 2026 — Appeal Briefed
Drake files his opening brief January 21, UMG responds in March, amicus briefs supporting UMG follow April 3, and Drake replies April 17.
- 6
December 4, 2026 — Oral Argument Scheduled
A three-judge Second Circuit panel will hear Appeal No. 25-2758. A ruling follows at an unspecified later date.
Three Things to Watch For
Celebrity cases attract fake “settlement” offers because people assume a big name means a big payout:
“Not Like Us streaming settlement” claim forms
The bot and payola allegations appear in Drake’s pre-action petitions and in his federal complaint, which was dismissed. No court has created any fund for Spotify listeners or subscribers. A form asking for your streaming login or card number is phishing.
“Join Drake’s class action against UMG”
There is no class. Drake is the only plaintiff. Anyone asking for a sign-up fee or personal details to “add you to the lawsuit” is selling something that does not exist.
Fake “Drake wins” headlines with payout links
As of October 2026 Drake has not won: the case was dismissed and the appeal is undecided. Articles claiming a victory or a payout for fans should be checked against the court record.
Drake UMG Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Why is the Drake UMG lawsuit in the news right now?
In September 2026 the Second Circuit set oral argument in Drake’s appeal, No. 25-2758, for December 4, 2026. That is the last step before the panel decides whether to revive the case.
Did Drake lose the lawsuit?
At the trial level, yes. On October 9, 2025 Judge Jeannette A. Vargas dismissed all claims, writing that the context of a heated rap battle “would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts verifiable facts” about him. The appeal is still pending.
Why did Drake sue UMG and not Kendrick Lamar?
The lawsuit targets UMG as the company that published and promoted the recording. Both artists record for UMG labels. Kendrick Lamar is not a defendant.
Is there a class action or settlement I can join?
No. This is an individual defamation suit. There is no class, no settlement, no fund, no claim form and no deadline.
What happened to the Spotify and iHeartMedia claims?
They were never lawsuits. The New York petition against UMG and Spotify was withdrawn on January 14, 2025. In Texas, iHeartMedia was dropped on February 26, 2025 after an undisclosed “amicable resolution,” and the remaining petition was dismissed on April 14, 2025.
What is Drake arguing on appeal?
That the trial court created a “dangerous categorical rule” that rap diss tracks can never be actionable and decided factual questions too early. UMG answers that “a rap diss track signals – if not shouts – opinion not fact.”
When will the appeals court decide?
No date is set. Argument is scheduled for December 4, 2026, and a written decision typically follows weeks or months later. If Drake wins, the case returns to the district court; it would not end with a ruling for damages on appeal.
Where can I read the court documents?
The dismissal opinion (ECF No. 96 in No. 1:25-cv-00399) is posted on the Southern District of New York website. Appellate filings are on the Second Circuit docket under No. 25-2758 via PACER.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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