Drake is pressing forward with his legal fight against Universal Music Group, seeking to revive a dismissed lawsuit tied to Kendrick Lamar’s viral diss track, Not Like Us.

The Toronto rapper originally filed suit last January, accusing UMG of defamation and harassment. Drake claimed the label artificially boosted the song’s success and, in doing so, knowingly amplified what he describes as a false and malicious narrative portraying him as an alleged predator.

In October, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas dismissed the case, ruling that Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics were not defamatory because a reasonable listener would not interpret them as statements of fact. In her decision, Vargas characterized the exchange as a highly publicized “war of words” within a rap battle context, noting that even serious accusations are understood by audiences as part of competitive lyrical sparring rather than verifiable claims.

Drake, however, is refusing to let the matter end there.

According to Rolling Stone, Drake filed an opening appellate brief on January 21, asking the court to overturn the dismissal and allow his pursuit of damages to continue. In the brief, he argues that Not Like Us labels him a “certified pedophile” as an unambiguous statement of fact, not metaphor or hyperbole.

He further contends that the lower court’s ruling sets a “dangerous categorical rule” that could shield artists and record labels from defamation liability regardless of how harmful a claim may be. Drake’s filing argues that the decision effectively suggests rap diss tracks can never contain actionable statements of fact. UMG is expected to submit its response by March 27.

The appeal arrives as anticipation builds around Drake’s upcoming album, ICEMAN. While no official release date has been announced, the project is widely expected to arrive in the near future, keeping Drake firmly in the spotlight as both the legal battle and his next musical chapter unfold.