As Drake prepares to appeal a court ruling in his defamation case, fans across iTunes, Apple Music, and Spotify have been running back Kendrick Lamar’s explosive diss track, “Not Like Us.”
The long-running feud between Lamar and Drake has dominated hip-hop conversations for years, though few expected it to spill into legal territory. However, following the dismissal of Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), the song is seeing renewed success.
According to Apple Music, “Not Like Us” re-entered the Top 100 charts on Apple Music in multiple countries, hitting #47 in the United States shortly after Judge Jeannette Vargas’ decision. The track also reportedly drew 1.2 million Spotify streams on Thursday, October 9 — the same day the ruling was announced.
Given the song’s massive impact and the ongoing buzz surrounding the feud, its resurgence isn’t surprising. Despite online debates over “botting” accusations, drawn-out drama, and fan rivalries, “Not Like Us” continues to prove its staying power as a hit record.
Still, the legal fight appears far from over. After the judge dismissed his lawsuit, a spokesperson for Drake confirmed plans to appeal the decision: “We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”
Drake originally filed the complaint in January, alleging that UMG manipulated the song’s success and promoted a “false and malicious narrative” portraying him as a predator amid his high-profile feud with Lamar.
The court ruled that the lyrics in question amounted to “nonactionable opinion” and granted UMG’s motion to dismiss. Although the outcome is a setback for Drake, his team’s statement makes it clear that he has no intention of walking away from the case.