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

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

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

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

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge noted.

"While the accusation that Drake is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival 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 give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused UMG of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

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

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the star "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the spokesperson continued.

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

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.