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A judge has rejected Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 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 musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in the diss record.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals 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 suggested.

"It is in this context in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated the court.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should turn to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative added.

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

Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.