🔗 Share this article

A court official has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s song the diss record.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the track to be released and promoted, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson said he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

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

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards 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 dispute between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

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

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

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

On the song his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

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

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers accused the label of launching "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should turn to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

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, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

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

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

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.