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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the track to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson said he intended to challenge the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court noted.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, Drake used the synthetic vocals 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 track proposed.

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

"The similarity in the wording suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged the label of launching "an effort to create a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a label spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

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

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

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.