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A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s song the diss record.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson said he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG expressed it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped 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 Lamar's musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context 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' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

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

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals 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 song proposed.

"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 wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His legal team accused the label of launching "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

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

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative added.

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

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.