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A judge has dismissed Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in January, accusing UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

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

Background of the Rap Battle

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

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," wrote Judge Vargas.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "a campaign 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 public should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a lyric in which the artist "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership successfully promoting the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.