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A court official has dismissed Drake's legal claim targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

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

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the song to be published and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson said he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared 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.

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

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

"The similarity in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference 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 name his rival in the legal filing.

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".

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

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our work effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative continued.

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

Kendrick Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.