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A court official has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

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

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company representing both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

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 biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

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 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake 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.

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

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

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

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, 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" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

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

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively marketing Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to contest the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.