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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge decided that Lamar's lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming UMG, the music company representing both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge noted.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated the court.

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "an effort to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our work effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative continued.

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

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.