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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson said he planned to challenge the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle 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-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice 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 track suggested.

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

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this line is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused UMG of initiating "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Even 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 expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our work successfully marketing the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to contest the ruling, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

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