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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in January, accusing UMG, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he planned to appeal the decision. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court noted.

"While the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

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

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Deciding against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.