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A judge has thrown out the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and promoted, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

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

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts 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 track his own release, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"It is in this context in which such lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Lamar in the legal filing.

His lawyers alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, quoting 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 his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a label spokesperson said: "From the outset, 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 successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the ruling, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the case.