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A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

Drake filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, 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 most successful track of Lamar's career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

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

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured 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.

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

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue Lamar in the lawsuit.

His legal team accused the label of launching "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Responding to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

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

A representative for the musician said the rapper intended to appeal the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.