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A court official has thrown out the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be released and promoted, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he planned to challenge the decision. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals 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 proposed.

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

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.