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A judge has rejected Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the song to be released and promoted, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having won multiple Grammy awards 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 genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

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

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged UMG of initiating "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.