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

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be released and marketed, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the most successful track 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, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge noted.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

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

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, 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 label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our partnership effectively marketing Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A representative for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the ruling, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.