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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

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

The artist’s representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, 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 biggest hit of the rapper’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 artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals 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 track proposed.

"It is in this context in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The similarity in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Lamar in the legal filing.

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" 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".

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

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

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

A representative for Drake said the artist planned to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the case.