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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the song to be released and promoted, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the song suggested.

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

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... 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."

Responding to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our work successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

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