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A judge has thrown out Drake's legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the song to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the song proposed.

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged the label of initiating "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the ruling, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.