Court Throws Out Drake's Lawsuit Regarding Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

A judge has thrown out the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s song the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper submitted the legal action in January, accusing UMG, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he planned to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the judge noted.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice 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 suggested.

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

"The similarity in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged the label of launching "an effort to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

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

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to continuing our partnership effectively marketing the artist’s work and supporting his artistic path," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper planned to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the legal matter.