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A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, accusing UMG, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Background 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 competing artists.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of the rapper’s career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the dispute 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 subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge noted.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

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

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," wrote the court.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name Lamar in the lawsuit.

His lawyers accused UMG of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with profanity, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

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

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our work effectively marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the appellate court reviewing it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.