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A judge has thrown out the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

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

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

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

"Although the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper 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 proposed.

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

"The parallel in the phrasing 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 Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His lawyers accused the label of initiating "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative continued.

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

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.