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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

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

Drake filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be released and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson said he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

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

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the AI-generated voice 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 track proposed.

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," wrote Judge Vargas.

"The similarity in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers accused the label of launching "a campaign 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 public should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

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 Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our work effectively marketing Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative added.

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to contest the ruling, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.