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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson said he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

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

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

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

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

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

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," wrote Judge Vargas.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates 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 legal filing.

His lawyers accused the label of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work successfully marketing Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

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

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.