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A court official has thrown out the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson said he intended to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

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

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about 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 notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge noted.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist 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 the late rapper 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," wrote Judge Vargas.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

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

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied 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."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and supporting his career," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

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