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A court official has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance 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' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language 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 additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

"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 similarity in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a direct callback 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 Lamar in the lawsuit.

His lawyers alleged UMG of launching "a campaign to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the artist planned to appeal the ruling, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.