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

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to challenge the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track 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 detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song his own release, 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 song proposed.

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," wrote the court.

"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His lawyers accused the label of initiating "a campaign 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 audience should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and supporting his career," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for the musician said the rapper planned to contest the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.