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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, accusing UMG, the music company behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s spokesperson said he planned to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to resuming its work with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud 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 early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge 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 incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the song his own release, Drake used the synthetic vocals 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 song proposed.

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Lamar in the lawsuit.

His legal team alleged UMG of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a lyric in which the star "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a label spokesperson said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

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