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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

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

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG expressed it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, 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.

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused the label of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should turn to vigilante justice in response".

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

She pointed out that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our partnership effectively promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist intended to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.