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A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he intended to challenge the decision. UMG expressed it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

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

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' 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 claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

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

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," stated the court.

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused UMG of initiating "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete 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 "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult 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 work effectively marketing Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to contest the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

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