🔗 Share this article

A court official has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

Drake filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and marketed, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s representative stated he planned to challenge the decision. UMG expressed it was pleased with the outcome and was eager to resuming its work 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 rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of the rapper’s career, having won 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 artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

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

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, Drake had "dared Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

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 song suggested.

"It is in this context in which such lyrics as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

"The similarity in the wording suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged UMG of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

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

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the star "heavily" suggested that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... 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."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this case 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 continuing our work successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the spokesperson continued.

A spokesperson for Drake said the rapper intended to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.