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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, accusing UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Context 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 the rapper’s career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the row between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"While the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival 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 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 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

"The parallel in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and investing in his career," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the artist intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.