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A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s spokesperson said he intended to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar'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 February.

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 substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, the rapper 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 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated the court.

"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged the label of launching "a campaign to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, 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 audience may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.