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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be released and promoted, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was pleased with the outcome 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 widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

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

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

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "dared Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," stated Judge Vargas.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback 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 lawsuit.

His legal team 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 convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

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 highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our work effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper planned to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

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