Judge Throws Out Rapper Drake's Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and promoted, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, the judge 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 subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

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 song proposed.

"It is in this context 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 line is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

The musician, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name 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 "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the artist "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

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

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper planned to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.