Why did a judge dismiss Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”? Because, legal experts say, it never made much sense.

Drake’s case claimed he was defamed by the diss track, arguing that millions of people believed Kendrick when the Compton MC called his rival a “certified pedophile.” But in the wake of a judge’s ruling dismissing the case at the earliest stage, legal experts tell Billboard that Drake’s case was doomed from the start.

“Holding a rapper or their producer liable for lyrics in a diss track seemed contrary to basic defamation law from the beginning,” says Roy Gutterman, the director of the Newhouse School’s Tully Center for Free Speech at Syracuse University.

When Drake first filed his case, it prompted ridicule in world of hip-hop. The idea of hiring lawyers and going to court over a diss track felt antithetical to rap music, a genre rooted so heavily in authenticity, credibility and, at times, heated rivalries: “What part of the game is that?” asked A$AP Rocky in an interview last month. “What type of shit is that?”

But more quietly, legal experts had long been arguing that such a lawsuit was also antithetical to the world of defamation law and constitutionally-protected free speech — where courts are willing to restrict outright lies, but give wide leeway to opinions and artistic expression.

Way back in May 2024, as Kendrick and Drake exchanged ugly accusations in a series of scathing songs, legal commentators began to wonder if either rapper might have the audacity to take the fight to court: “Has anyone ever filed a defamation lawsuit over a diss track before?” joked Matt Ford, a legal reporter at the New Republic.

Months before such a case was actually filed, it felt downright unthinkable. No rapper would ever risk their reputation to file a libel case over an insulting lyric, right? But Billboard decided to poll the experts anyway, asking how such a hypothetical case a might go. The answer was pretty clear-cut: It would be very hard to win a defamation case over a rap battle.

“The public … has to believe that the speaker is being serious, and not just hurling insults in a diss fight,” Dori Hanswirth, a veteran media law litigator at the firm Arnold & Porter, told Billboard at the time. “The context of this song-by-song grudge match tends to support the idea that this is rhetorical, and a creative way to beef with a rival.”

That legal landscape didn’t scare off Drake’s attorneys, who went ahead and filed such a case in January, accusing UMG (but not Kendrick himself) of defamation over “Not Like Us.” In later filings, they said many fans had, on the contrary, taken Lamar’s lyric quite literally: “Millions of people, all over the world, did understand the [song] as a factual assertion that plaintiff is a pedophile.”

As Drake battled in court, more lawyers voiced skepticism. In a brief filed May, a group of legal scholars said the case was legally “faulty” and urged the judge to “consider rap music’s history and artistic conventions.” Diss tracks are not seen as “a series of news reports,” they said, but as “hyperbole, bluster, and demonstrations of disrespect” that are “designed to entertain and impress their audience.”

When Judge Jeannette Vargas finally ruled on the case on Thursday (Oct. 9), she followed precisely that line of logic that experts had been arguing from the start. The judge said that context was crucial — and that diss tracks were an artistic medium in which fans would expect “hyperbolic vituperations” rather than “sober facts.”

“The recording was published as part of a heated public feud, in which both participants exchanged progressively caustic, inflammatory insults and accusations,” Judge Vargas wrote. “This is precisely the type of context in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole rather than factual assertions.”

In reaching that conclusion, the judge was hardly breaking new legal ground. Instead, she was just sticking to the legal consensus — one that the experts say they were predicting from the start.

“The court recognized the nature of the artistic expression and the rap genre itself,” Gutterman, the Syracuse professor, tells Billboard. “The First Amendment provides lots of protection for statements of opinion as well as artistic expression. This decision reflects that.”

For the history of Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s feud, read through Billboard’s timeline below.

The fusion of Latin music and Afrobeats has hit a new frequency recently, building on a yearslong overlap between the two genres that has now exploded into the mainstream. For Ozuna’s 2023 album, Afro, the artist teamed up with Nigerian musicians Davido and Omah Lay. In early 2024, Feid and Afrobeats sensation Rema joined forces on “Bubalu,” which topped Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart. And later that year, Rauw Alejandro’s “Santa” featured Rvssian and Nigerian singer Ayra Starr.

Since then, more Latin acts experimenting with the genre have entered the Billboard charts: Shakira’s “Soltera” became her 24th No. 1 on Latin Airplay; Boza and Elena Rose’s flirty “orióN” hit No. 2 on Latin Pop Airplay; and Ozuna scored his 33rd Latin Airplay No. 1 this year with “Sirenita.” As Afro Colombian singer-songwriter Gloria “Goyo” Martínez — one of the Latin artists embracing Afrobeats who will speak on the subject at Billboard’s Latin Music Week later in October — puts it, “It’s musically rich… and it refreshes what was previously happening in the industry with reggaetón.”

Goyo

On her 2025 debut solo album, Pantera, Goyo — who gained fame as part of the Latin Grammy Award-winning group ChocQuibTown — explored the sounds of Afrobeats by traveling to London to work with some of the genre’s expat producers, such as Afro B on the track “Diana.” “The sound of our collaboration is more Ugandan,” says Goyo, 43. “Afrobeats has many currents, and I had the opportunity to bring several of those sounds that are within the genre to my project.”

Kapo

Kapo spent 15 years trying to make it in music, but after visiting The Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica, his vision clicked. “After that visit, I worked on ‘Ohnana,’ ” the Colombian artist recalls of his 2024 hit. “I was in a vibe and in another tune with my vocal tones.” The feel-good Afrobeats song scored him his first Billboard chart entry, peaking at No. 30 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart in 2024. Since, the 27-year-old has remained a force on the charts, earning entries on Top Latin Albums, Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay, among others.

Venesti

Venesti, 30, scored his first Billboard chart entry when “Necesidad” debuted on Latin Rhythm Airplay in 2022. However, it was his Afrobeats-influenced “Umaye” that earned the Colombian artist his first No. 1 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay and Latin Airplay charts in 2023. And last year, his “No Es Normal” (in collaboration with Nacho and Maffio) won Latin pop song of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

This story appears in the Oct. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.

For a label with a roster of only four artists, Nashville’s Triple Tigers has scored a tremendous feat: half its roster landed back-to-back No. 1s on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Russell Dickerson’s bouncy, upbeat “Happen to Me” topped the charts dated Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, after Dickerson’s goofy dance to the tune went viral. Then for the chart dated Oct. 4, Scotty McCreery’s breezy, nostalgic “Bottle Rockets,” which features Hootie & the Blowfish singing their 1994 hit, “Hold My Hand,” soared to No. 1.

The achievement also marked the first time Triple Tigers landed back-to-back No. 1s, but certainly not the first time Dickerson and McCreery have each reached the summit. Launched in 2016 as a joint venture between Thirty Tigers, Sony Music-owned distributor The Orchard and George Couri’s Triple 8 Management (whose clients include McCreery), the label experienced great success from the start with McCreery’s first five singles and Dickerson’s first four singles going to No. 1 on Country Airplay. But this most recent success earns Kevin Herring, who serves as Triple Tigers co-president alongside Annie Ortmeier, the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, Herring, who reports to Thirty Tigers and Triple 8 co-founder Couri and previously served as senior vp of radio promotion until his rise to co-president two years ago, discusses the steps the label took to reach the unplanned milestone and how staying small allows Triple Tigers to compete with much bigger labels. “I really believe this is what makes Triple Tigers a special place for artists to be. We are looking to grow our roster from four artists, but I doubt it will ever be 10,” he says. “Because of the small roster, we can’t afford to miss much. So far, thank goodness, we haven’t.”

This is the first time that Triple Tigers has had back-to-back No. 1s. Was there any hesitation about working both songs to radio at the same time?

From the start there was not a conscious effort to have back-to-back No. 1 songs. There’s really no way to plan that. I wish we were that good. “Bottle Rockets” was actually released 10 weeks after
“Happen To Me,” so it blazed up the chart faster than any of Scotty McCreery’s previous songs, and fortunately the two tracks never got in each other’s way.

Were there any specific decisions you made in the promotion plan for either artist that you feel were particularly impactful in reaching No. 1?

I’m afraid I’m going to fail miserably at trying to look like a genius here. Both of these songs are No. 1 because they are great songs, with great performances, by amazing artists. Sometimes the songs are that good. I will say, the Triple Tigers promo staff, led by Raffaella Braun, navigated all the potential pitfalls a record can fall into along the way, but there was no stopping these monster hits.

How important was Dickerson’s “Happen to Me” dance that went viral and was re-created with other artists, in different locales, in terms of convincing radio to play it?

I’m just glad Russell never made me do that dance! It might have scuttled the whole project. Seriously though, I think that dance ignited the fun viral aspect that reached beyond his base and introduced him to many new fans. It inspired so much creativity and definitely fueled consumption. Overall, I think it was the song and not the dance that convinced radio to play it, but everything helped make it the hit that it is.

“Happen to Me” has also been Dickerson’s biggest crossover hit, charting on both Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay. How have you partnered with Columbia in working that to non-country formats?

Triple Tigers being owned by The Orchard/Sony, the tie with Columbia is a natural one. We partnered with them to work Ella Langley at country. The synergy with [Columbia executive vp/head of promotion] Peter Gray and the Columbia staff is mutually beneficial.

It was four years and nine months between No. 1s on Country Airplay for Russell. How important was this to his career and taking it to another level? How do you build on this success?

No. 1 is always the goal, but Russell had several hits between No. 1s that continued to build his brand. This No. 1, “Happen To Me,” is bigger though. It checked all the boxes: consumption, radio airplay, research, viral videos and live performance reaction. It reinforces to everyone that Russell Dickerson is a home run hitter, capable of hitting moon shots. So, yes, this was big for Russell, and his follow up single “Worth Your Wild” is the next building block.

How did McCreery interpolating “Hold My Hand” on “Bottle Rockets” and having Hootie & the Blowfish on the single help make it an “event” record for country radio?

Well, I doubt it would be an “event record” without Hootie & The Blowfish. Hearing the demo before their involvement we all thought this was a great song, but the addition of Hootie & The Blowfish took it to another level. There were some programmers who initially wondered if it fit the format, but the instant the audience reaction was so positive, it quickly eased those concerns.

It took “Bottle Rockets” only 20 weeks to reach No. 1, which, as you mentioned, was the fastest ascent for McCreery. How do you keep that momentum going and does this signal an overall movement with the notoriously slow chart to speedier climbs?

I hope it helps future Scotty and Russell songs move a little faster, as their profile has been raised by these huge hits, but I’ve learned that each song seems to take on its own trajectory. Beyond these two songs, Russell and Scotty have been working tirelessly for the last 10 years to be great partners with radio, so I think that support and growth will continue.

Triple Tigers has a very small roster. How does that allow you to super-serve each of your artists as they go to country radio?

I really believe this is what makes Triple Tigers a special place for artists to be. We are looking to grow our roster from four artists, but I doubt it will ever be 10. I’ve used the analogy a lot of a great juggler. The best juggler in the world will drop the fifth and sixth ball in the air. We always want to maintain a degree of focus many labels with 10 to 30-plus artists can’t provide. Because of the small roster, we can’t afford to miss much. So far, thank goodness, we haven’t.

Cardi B says that she will not be dropping a video to her BIA diss track “Pretty & Petty” because she doesn’t wanna be a bully.

BIA dropped off her new album, Bianca, on Friday (Oct. 10), and during a recent livestream with fans Cardi B said she recognized that putting out an album is a lot of stress and work. Due to this, Cardi, who dropped her album Am I The Drama? back in September, said she would not be dropping off the Instagram visual to her song “Pretty & Petty.”

“I know how stressful it is to put an album out and I know how f—ked up you be in the mind when you put an album out and s—t, so I feel like if I do a video to ‘Pretty & Petty as F—k’ this week or today, I feel like I would be bullying,” Cardi said. “I don’t wanna feel like a bully. Because when I bully, then God takes from me.”

She continued, “If the b—h ain’t messing with me and she didn’t sub me in her f—king dusty a– album, I’m not gonna do a video, like, reciting her diss track and s—t like that on a day that I know she’s stressed. Because then God will punish me. So I’ll do a video tomorrow morning to another song. Probably next week, I’ll do a video for ‘Pretty & Petty as F—k.’ I’mma be nice to you because it’s your album day. I don’t wanna add to your stress. I’m not that bad person that people think I am.”

The empathetic response comes just a few days after Cardi B fired back at BIA following the “Whole Lotta Money” rapper’s recent interview with Hot 97. BIA addressed her feud with the Bronx native in the interview, and said it all stemmed from fans noting similarities in BIA’s Really Her project and Cardi’s “Enough (Miami).”

“That was the only thing it was about for me,” BIA clarified on Hot 97, before dispelling rumors that it had anything to do with both rappers flipping Missy Elliott’s “She’s a Bitch.”

Cardi responded almost immediately on X Spaces on Wednesday (Oct. 8).

“After we resolved that conversation on the phone, the ‘Enough’ music video comes out and then you start subbing me again because you in your delusional mind think I copied one of your music video contents,” Cardi said. “It’s like, b—h, I done told you before. You’re not interesting enough for me to look at you. You’re not creative, your music is boring, everything about you is boring. I don’t care nothing about you. You’re bugging.”

Check out Cardi B’s latest response below.

Cardi b said she was going to do a instagram video for “pretty & petty” but she don’t want to add to BIA album stress 😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/sneylU3oqP

— kxngcardo (@KxngCardo) October 10, 2025

Following a sold-out 2025 edition that marked its most successful year yet, the Same Same But Different (SSBD) Festival is breaking new ground by inviting fans to buy into its future. 

The Southern California festival, held each September at Lake Perris State Park in Riverside County, has launched a first-of-its-kind public ownership campaign through WeFunder, allowing attendees to invest directly in the company. The soft launch, open only to 2025 attendees, raised $409,000 in its first week. Now, WeFunder is opening the investment opportunity to the general public, making SSBD one of the first music festivals in the U.S. to pursue what co-founder Brad Sweet is calling a “fan-funded ownership model.” 

“For as little as $100, fans can move from just attending to becoming part-owners,” says Sweet of the offering, which starts Friday (Oct. 10). “We’re making sure SSBD grows with the people who made it possible — and that it stays independent for years to come.” 

Founded 2018 by musicians and friends living together in Southern California, Same Same But Different has steadily built a loyal following around its lakeside setting, immersive art and eclectic music lineup. This year, the festival capped attendance at 5,000 — a sellout — and achieved a 34% year-over-year increase in ticket sales, beating its own projections, the festival says. 

“Our theme this year was ‘less but better,’” Sweet explains. “Rather than expand and do everything that comes across the plate, we wanted to hone in on what we already do well and make it better, smoother, more dialed in.” 

Sweet says SSBD’s goal is to cap attendance permanently at around 7,500 to maintain the intimate, community-driven atmosphere that defines the event. “It’s a reflection of the festivals I loved the most,” he says. “You can still stay profitable and be a business that makes sense — but keep that intimacy that makes it special.” 

Because SSBD is attempting to raise money through WeFunder, it is required to disclose internal financial information to the Securities and Exchange Commision (SEC). According to the company’s public filings, SSBD has $242,811 in assets, more than double the previous year, with $234,620 in cash on hand. The company is carrying $726,962 in short term debt, up from $353,726 in the previous year, and long-term debt of $1.5 million, up from $1.1 million the previous year. The company reported $2.2 million in revenue this year, slightly up from the previous year, and negative net income of $911,994, down slightly from the previous year. 

Under the new WeFunder model, fans can purchase actual shares in the company. “This is true ownership,” says Sweet. “We filed with the SEC, so it’s real — not just crowdfunding. It’s ownership, perks, and participation.” 

Investors can buy in for as little as $100, with perks starting at $250 and scaling up to lifetime VIP passes for investments of $10,000. At the $500 level, investors will be invited to annual meetups and early access events — including a cannabis-themed show this November where Sweet plans to discuss next year’s plans with the community. 

Investors at higher levels will have opportunities to weigh in on creative decisions, like lineup choices or art installations, though voting rights in company operations will remain with festival management. 

“We didn’t want hundreds of people voting on business matters,” Sweet says with a laugh. “But creatively, we want their input. These are the people who understand the culture.” 

Sweet says he wanted to prove that independent festivals could stay independent — and financially healthy — without selling to Live Nation or AEG. “We’re doing this because we’re profitable,” he emphasizes. “We didn’t want this to feel like a donation. We wanted fans to know they’re investing in a strong business with a future.” 

If successful, investors could receive dividends within a few years, as the festival grows into its 7,500-attendee ceiling. Sweet says any future acquisition — though not the goal — would pay out investors equally alongside founders. 

“This might become a new financial model for how independent festivals can stay independent,” Sweet says. “Raising funds is often what pushes early-stage festivals into the arms of big corporations. This could be a way to change that — to let the community that loves you also own you.”