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A court official has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson said he planned to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge noted.

"While the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop 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 verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, Drake had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated Judge Vargas.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even 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 anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

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

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the legal matter.