Drake Appeals Dismissal of Defamation Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's 'Pedophile' Diss

In a surprising move, Drake has filed an appeal to revive his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar's diss track that accused him of being a "certified pedophile." The lawsuit, which was dismissed by a judge last month, is now headed to an appeals court.

According to legal experts, Drake may have a stronger case than one might expect. While the initial judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics were just "hyperbolic vituperation" rather than verifiable facts, some scholars argue that the specific claim of pedophilia could be considered defamatory.

"Is that a verifiable statement? Of course it is," says Fordham Law professor Benjamin C. Zipursky. "As opposed to calling somebody a 'fascist' or a 'sh-thead', the statement that 'X is a pedophile' falls more on the verifiable, falsifiable side."

Drake's lawyers are likely to argue that the judge was too quick to dismiss the case based on the context of a rap battle, and that the appeals court should allow more discovery into the truth or falsity of Lamar's claim. Whether rappers have "instant immunity" for such serious accusations remains to be seen.