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

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," stated Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the phrasing 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 legal name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue Lamar in the lawsuit.

His lawyers alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to contest the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.