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A judge has rejected Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s song 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 "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in January, claiming UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and promoted, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge noted.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

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

On the song his own release, 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 lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused the label of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although 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 expect the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

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

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.