By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A judge has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group regarding Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” The judge determined that Lamar’s lyrics, which accused Drake of being a “certified pedophile,” were “nonactionable opinion” within the context of a rap battle. Drake’s spokesperson confirmed plans to appeal the ruling, while UMG expressed satisfaction with the outcome. The judge highlighted the ongoing feud as a “war of words” and noted that Drake’s earlier song, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” invited Lamar to make the very accusations featured in “Not Like Us.”
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Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar diss track is dismissed, and the fallout is… well, let’s just say it’s a bit of a mess, isn’t it? The sheer audacity of it all! Here we have a rapper, a self-proclaimed voice of the streets, going to court over words exchanged in a rap battle. It’s like something out of a parody. The fact that it wasn’t just the dismissal but the judge’s assessment of the whole saga as “the most infamous rap battle in the genre’s history” just adds insult to injury. That’s a pretty stinging verdict right there!
And that’s got to sting, doesn’t it? The judge essentially declared Drake the loser in the most public and brutal fashion imaginable. To get publicly shamed by the judge is another layer of embarrassment. Considering the stakes, this situation probably doesn’t feel good for Drake.
One week later, after the legal defeat, the response seemed to be, “Well damn… Get the lawyers.” It is probably going to be the end of the road for any respect he held from the public. It’s a rough situation to have to go through. The reaction has been brutal. It’s hard to overstate how much of a misstep this whole situation has been for Drake’s image. The lyrics about street life, the accusations of fake street cred – it all comes back to bite him now in the worst way possible. It’s a complete breakdown of any remaining image that could be maintained.
The way people are talking about this is pretty brutal. The entire narrative of this situation is that he’s faking the whole thing. The whole image of someone who is a tough guy and then runs to court at the slightest hint of a perceived slight is an embarrassing combination.
The irony is truly delicious. This is the ultimate Streisand Effect scenario. He should have just let it go. The less you say the better. Had he just kept his mouth shut, this would have died down. Instead, he’s ensured this will haunt him, for quite possibly the rest of his career. He’s personified the Streisand Effect, drawing even more attention to the very thing he was trying to suppress.
The legal maneuver, the public perception, the Super Bowl performances – it’s all added to the spectacle of it all. This has become the perfect meme. The only thing left for him to claim now is the role of the butt of the joke.
And the real kicker? He didn’t even sue Kendrick Lamar, the actual target of the diss track, according to the reporting. He sued his own label, UMG, claiming defamation! It seems like Drake is using this as an excuse, or a way to attack his own label.
The reaction has been widespread. It’s a brutal loss for Drake. It is hard to imagine this situation playing out any worse. It will follow him for the rest of his career. The fact that Drake seemingly had to be talked into even including some of the offensive lyrics in the first place, only to turn around and sue over them, is just plain wild.
The legacy of this rap battle, and Drake’s response, are being cemented now. The consensus is pretty clear: Drake took a massive “L.” He’s going to be remembered for a long time, and not in a good way.
You know it’s bad when people are saying things like, “Drake will be synonymous with being weak and ridiculous for the rest of his life.” It is hard to see how he recovers from this.
Let’s not forget that Drake’s own lyrics and public persona often play up a tough, street-smart image. The fact that he’s now resorting to legal action over diss tracks completely undermines that image. It comes across as a massive contradiction and makes him seem out of touch.
The question is, what’s next? Will he appeal? Will he disappear for a while? Will he find a way to spin this and come back stronger? It’s hard to say. One thing’s for sure: the world will be watching.