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Judge dismisses Drake’s lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar diss track “Not Like Us”

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Judge dismisses Drake’s lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar diss track “Not Like Us”


A federal judge in New York tossed out a defamation lawsuit that Drake brought against Universal Music Group, ruling that lyrics branding the superstar as a pedophile in Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us” were opinion.

Judge Jeannette A. Vargas on Thursday rejected the suit in a written opinion that began by citing “the vitriolic war of words” and saying the case arose “from perhaps the most infamous rap battle in the genre’s history.”

Filed in January, the lawsuit alleged that UMG published and promoted “Not Like Us” even though it included false pedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice.

The lawsuit also alleged that the track tarnished his reputation and decreased the value of his brand.

Lamar was not named in the lawsuit.  

Universal Music Group, the parent record label for both artists, had denied the allegations.

“From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day,” a UMG spokesperson told CBS News in a statement Thursday. “We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”

A spokesperson for Drake told CBS News in a statement, “We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”

CBS News has also reached out to representatives for Lamar for comment.

UMG owns both Interscope, Lamar’s label, and Republic Records, where Drake has spent his entire career. 

In February, Drake reached a settlement with iHeartMedia in a separate court complaint filed in Texas over “Not Like Us.”

In that complaint, Drake alleged that iHeartMedia had received illegal payments from UMG to boost radio airplay for “Not Like Us.” iHeartMedia and UMG denied the allegations.

And in November 2024, Drake also filed a similar complaint in New York against streaming giant Spotify and UMG, accusing them of conspiring to inflate streams of “Not Like Us.” Both companies have also denied those claims.

Lamar and Drake have been beefing for years, with the two rappers releasing several diss tracks about one another. The feud appeared to reach its height when Lamar called out Drake during his Super Bowl Halftime Show in February.

In “Not Like Us,” which was released in May 2024, Lamar makes disturbing accusations about Drake allegedly having inappropriate conduct with minors. He also makes similar allegations about Drake’s friends and continues to question Drake’s talent.

In his own responding diss track, Drake denied these allegations, as well as allegations about having a daughter. 



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Roger Federer celebrates career with exhibition matches at Australian Open kick-off

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Roger Federer celebrates career with exhibition matches at Australian Open kick-off


The Australian Open’s first formal opening ceremony became the Roger Federer show on the eve of the season-opening major.

The band Crowded House played a hit-filled setlist to a capacity crowd in the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena. Laver himself, 87, sat courtside. Record-setting champion Novak Djokovic watched from the stands. 

Federer, a six-time Australian Open winner and 20-time Grand Slam champion, partnered with past champions Andre Agassi and then Ash Barty in an exhibition doubles match against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt as the main feature of the program.

It went to script, with Federer winning the first point despite framing a forehand and then emphatically finishing off the victory with a leaping overhead winner.

Rod Laver, centre, waves ahead of a doubles match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and Andre Agassi of the United States, left, and Lleyton Hewitt, right, and Pat Rafter of Australia during the Opening Ceremony for the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026.

Dita Alangkara / AP


Federer was back in Australia for the first time since 2021, making the trip now because he retired from competitive tennis before he could do a farewell season tour. He said, “It’s super important to be grateful” to earlier generations of stars. 

“It really truly means so much to me when people like Rocket (Laver) show up,” Federer said.  

This year, the Australian Open is a three-week festival of tennis. Over 217,000 fans have attended exhibitions and qualifying events in the past six days. The main draw singles competition will begin on Sunday. Djokovic will play his opening match on Monday. Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is set to play, becoming the oldest woman ever to compete in the Australian Open’s main draw. 

Australian Open organizers turned the 2026 event into a three-week festival of tennis, with 217,999 fans attending across six days to watch exhibitions, qualifying and the 1 Point Slam before the main draw started.



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Kianna Underwood, ex-Nickelodeon child star dies in fatal hit-and-run: Details inside

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Kianna Underwood, ex-Nickelodeon child star dies in fatal hit-and-run: Details inside


Kianna Underwood, ex-Nickelodeon child star dies in fatal hit-and-run: Details inside

A former Nickelodeon child star, Kianna Underwood, was killed in a hit-and-run in New York.

Underwood, who was 33, was hit by a vehicle early Friday morning, January 16, 2026, in Brooklyn, dragged under the car for two blocks, and pronounced dead at the scene.

She became famous in 2005 on the sketch show All That a program that also helped launch stars like Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson.

Authorities have not made any arrests as yet, as reported by Variety.

Alongside All That Underwood also featured her voice in an animated show, Little Bill, which was directed by Bill Cosby.

Kianna was reportedly hit by a sedan while she was crossing the street, as reported by TMZ

The New York Police Department (NYPD) has confirmed the details that Underwood, 33, was struck by a vehicle just before 7 am and was pronounced dead on the spot.

Who was Kianna Underwood?

The beloved child star, Kianna Underwood, was known for her role in Little Bill, which was inspired by the children’s book series directed by Bill Cosby.

This animated series follows the day-to-day life and thought process of a 5-year-old boy growing up in Philadelphia.

Underwood’s voiceover career also ventured beyond television, including her contributions to the 2001 animated TV movie Santa, Baby.

Kianna also made an on-screen appearance in the 1999 independent comedy The 24-Hour Woman, created by Nancy Savoca.

The film starred Rosie Perez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Patti LuPone. In the following years of her career, Kianna also toured with the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2004.

Kianna’s death records another fatal pedestrian death in New York City, where hit-and-run incidents continue to surge, becoming a rising concern.

Just last year, there were 207 deaths reported due to vehicle crashes.





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Who’s Sienna Rose? Olivia Dean’s rival or a digital phantom—here’s what you need to know

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Who’s Sienna Rose? Olivia Dean’s rival or a digital phantom—here’s what you need to know


Who’s Sienna Rose? Olivia Dean’s rival or a digital phantom—here’s what you need to know

A mysterious singer is buzzing on social media whom many believe might be a phantom, as she has already amassed over three million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Soul singer Sienna Rose took the music scene by storm with her muggy hits, leaving fans praising her ‘melodious’ and ‘captivating’ voice.

Sienna Rose, one of Spotify’s most-listened-to artists, as been revealed to be nothing more than an AI-made-up persona, despite the fact that she had earned £2,000 a day through their streams.

But despite earning comparisons to UK chart-topper Olivia Dean, it’s now been revealed that Sienna’s voice, image, and songs are all AI-generated, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Spotify continued to host Sienna’s music without any disclaimer about her authenticity.

According to The Sun, she is now believed to be the creation of the same individual behind a popular AI reggae act called Babylon Burn, which boasts 756,000 listeners monthly on Spotify.

Let’s find out what the buzzing is about, Sienna Rose?

Sienna dropped her six-track EP in September last year, titled Velvet Embrace, followed by an eight-track project the very next month and a nine-track extended player in November called The Shape of Tenderness.

Fans, despite the doubts over authenticity, are buzzing with her captivating music.

Sienna continued her streak of hit tracks by releasing a ten-track ‘debut album’ Honey On The Moon in December.

The synopsis read: ‘Inspired by the analogue texture of 1960s soul yet rooted in today’s sound, Sienna’s music feels cinematic and deeply personal.

Every note she sings carries a sense of truth and beauty, making Sienna Rose not just a performer, but a storyteller of the heart.’

The publication also revealed the name behind this phantom on Spotify as Robert Lancaster but didn’t mention any further details.

Although Spotify did confirm to the Daily Mail that a wide range of acts use AI to make music, meaning policing its use and labeling their content can prove difficult.

How does Spotify deal with AI artists?

The outlet further added, while incorporating the version of Spotify: ‘AI is a fast-moving shift for the entire music industry, and it’s not always possible to draw a simple line between ‘AI’ and ‘non-AI’ music.’

Spotify, the music streaming platform, clarified its stance over AI-generated music content, stating, “Spotify is focused on the actions that guard harmful AI use cases, including removing spam and deceptive content, strengthening enforcement against impersonation and unauthorized voice cloning, and supporting industry-standard AI disclosures in music credits.”





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