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A judge has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, claiming UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s representative said he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge noted.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the track suggested.

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name Lamar in the lawsuit.

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A spokesperson for Drake said the rapper intended to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the legal matter.