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

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by permitting the song to be released and marketed, stating it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to appeal the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row 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 substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court noted.

"While the accusation that Drake is a pedophile is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," stated Judge Vargas.

"The parallel in the phrasing suggests strongly that this lyric is a clear reference to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused the label of initiating "a campaign to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in response".

Deciding against Drake, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a lyric in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, 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 epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the spokesperson added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper planned to contest the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.