🔗 Share this article

A judge has rejected Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the dispute between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

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

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," wrote the court.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused UMG of initiating "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 public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a line in which the star "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively marketing Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.