🔗 Share this article

A judge has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and promoted, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson stated he intended to challenge the decision. UMG expressed it was pleased 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 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 half-time show in February.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court wrote.

"While the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys truthful statements about plaintiff."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the song suggested.

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," wrote Judge Vargas.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His legal team accused UMG of launching "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Ruling against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may anticipate the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our work effectively promoting Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

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

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.