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A court official has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the rappers "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 extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court wrote.

"While the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

"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 Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival 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 "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Although 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, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our work effectively marketing the artist’s work and supporting his career," 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 issue a statement on the legal matter.