Drake and UMG Ask Court to Delay Briefs in Ongoing Defamation Appeal

Both sides jointly request a revised timeline that pushes Drake’s brief to January 21, 2026, UMG’s response to March 27, and Drake’s reply to April 17, if approved.

The legal battle between Drake and Universal Music Group over his dismissed defamation suit is hitting a brief pause. Attorneys for both sides have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to slow the proceedings by several weeks, shifting deadlines into early 2026.

The case was initially fast-tracked, with Drake’s opening brief due December 22 and UMG’s response scheduled for January 26, 2026. But in a new filing obtained by Complex, both sides jointly request a revised timeline that pushes Drake’s brief to January 21, 2026, UMG’s response to March 27, and Drake’s reply to April 17, if approved.

Why are things getting pushed back?

The filing cites several reasons for the delay, starting with the upcoming holidays.

According to the request, attorneys for both parties “will be traveling to see their families,” leaving less time to prepare briefs over the next month. The lawyers are also juggling multiple high-profile cases, including Drake’s lead attorney Michael Gottlieb assisting in a separate legal dispute involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.

Another reason for the extension is to allow more time for amicus briefs, submissions from outside individuals or organizations who want to weigh in due to the case’s potential impact on artistic expression and defamation law.

The appeal stems from Drake’s lawsuit accusing UMG of defamation over lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 hit “Not Like Us,” which a federal judge said “explicitly accuse Drake of being a pedophile.” Drake’s attorneys argue the track contained “specific and unequivocal threats of violence” that placed the rapper “in reasonable fear of physical harm.”

Judge Jeanette Vargas dismissed the suit earlier this year, ruling that “Not Like Us” was part of a public rap battle, framing diss tracks as a space where exaggerated, confrontational language is expected.