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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he intended to appeal the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in the diss record.

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," 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 prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His legal team accused UMG of launching "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative continued.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.