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A court official has thrown out the rapper Drake’s legal claim against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the song to be released and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative stated he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG expressed it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

Not Like Us, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"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 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers accused the label of launching "a campaign to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should turn to extra-legal action in response".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our work successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper planned to appeal the ruling, "and we await the appellate court reviewing it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.