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A judge has thrown out Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, claiming UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson said he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

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.

"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," stated the court.

"The parallel in the phrasing suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should turn to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper 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 Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.