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

Judge the court’s judge decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in January, claiming UMG, the music company representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was initially released 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-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, Drake had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in the diss record.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the track proposed.

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

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics 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 legal team accused the label of initiating "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 resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" 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 his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively promoting the artist’s work and investing in his career," the spokesperson added.

A representative for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.