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A judge has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s representative said he intended to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court noted.

"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 average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' 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 song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals 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 lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," wrote Judge Vargas.

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team accused UMG of initiating "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the audience should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and look forward to resuming our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

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

Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.