In one of the most high-profile music industry disputes of the decade, Sidley successfully represented Universal Music Group (UMG) in a headline-grabbing federal defamation lawsuit brought by Grammy-winning artist Drake, which was dismissed by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Drake claimed that lyrics in Lamar’s chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us,” released by UMG, were false and defamatory, causing him harm and constituting harassment. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan granted Sidley’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety, holding that that “a reasonable listener could not have concluded that ‘Not Like Us’ was conveying objective facts about Drake,” and that the diss track was therefore not defamatory as a matter of law.
The case was closely watched by many in the industry as it had implications for lyrical freedom, creative expression, and the record label’s role in supporting its artists and distribution of content.
The Sidley team was led by Rollin Ransom and included Nick Crowell, Katelin Everson, and James Horner.
