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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

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

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative stated he planned to challenge the decision. UMG expressed it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

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

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud 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.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

"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 wording suggests strongly that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue his rival in the legal filing.

His lawyers accused UMG of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

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

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

A representative for the musician said the artist intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.