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A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a detailed ruling, 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 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court wrote.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

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

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly 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 Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His lawyers accused UMG 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 resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the star "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our work effectively promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to appeal the ruling, "and we await the appellate court reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.