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A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the song to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

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

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," stated Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged the label of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used similar language, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our work successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his career," the representative added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the ruling, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.