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

Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"It is in this context in which such lines 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 Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name Lamar in the legal filing.

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’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 similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully marketing Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper planned to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the legal matter.