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A court official has rejected Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson stated he intended to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was pleased with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the artists "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 digital debate," the judge wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

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

On the song his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the track proposed.

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged UMG of launching "a campaign to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the spokesperson continued.

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

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