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A judge has rejected Drake's legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

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

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

Drake's representative stated he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the result and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

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

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track 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.

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," wrote the court.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, 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 never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the spokesperson added.

A representative for Drake said the artist intended to appeal the ruling, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.