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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to appeal the decision. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue his rival in the lawsuit.

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

Deciding against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and look forward to resuming our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the artist intended to appeal the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

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