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A court official has thrown out the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

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

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamation by permitting the song to be released and promoted, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights 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".

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

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

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur 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 suggested.

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

"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name Lamar in the lawsuit.

His lawyers accused UMG of launching "an effort to create 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 turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

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

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.