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A court official has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he intended to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

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 moments of his Super Bowl half-time show 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 subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the claim 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 exchanged by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers accused UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a line in which the star "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

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

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.