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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s song the diss record.

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

Drake submitted the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was pleased with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the row 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 extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge noted.

"Although the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur 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.

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

"The similarity in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team accused the label of initiating "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and investing in his career," the spokesperson continued.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.