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A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper submitted the legal action in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be released and marketed, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the result and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the dispute between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the track proposed.

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged UMG of launching "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Responding to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

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

Kendrick Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.