🔗 Share this article

A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in the diss record.

On the track his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice 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 track suggested.

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

"The similarity in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His legal team alleged UMG of launching "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the audience should turn to extra-legal action in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used similar language, quoting a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

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

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