A judge has thrown out the rapper Drake’s legal claim against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.
Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.
Drake filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the track to be published and promoted, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".
Drake's representative said he intended to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.
The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle 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 performance in early 2025.
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’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.
"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."
She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.
On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.
"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the track proposed.
"It is in this context in which such lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," wrote Judge Vargas.
"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."
The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Lamar in the legal filing.
His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".
Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."
She highlighted that Drake himself had used similar language, quoting a lyric in which the artist "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."
Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."
Responding to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."
"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work effectively marketing the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.
A representative for the musician said the rapper planned to appeal the ruling, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".
Kendrick Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.
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