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A judge has thrown out Drake's legal claim against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be released and promoted, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas 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 judge noted.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track 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 track suggested.

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

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused the label of launching "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the artist "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

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

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

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.