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A court official has dismissed Drake's legal claim against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

Drake filed the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative stated he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court wrote.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the phrasing suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims 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 slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our partnership effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the case.