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A court official has rejected Drake's legal claim against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

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

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and promoted, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of the rapper’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 dispute 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 extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the song proposed.

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

"The parallel in the wording suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of launching "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "replete with profanity, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper planned to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.