Court Dismisses Rapper Drake's Legal Case Regarding Kendrick Lamar's Diss Track

A court official has thrown out Drake's legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

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

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the focus of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court wrote.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

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

On the song his own release, the rapper used the AI-generated voice 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 proposed.

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

"The parallel in the phrasing suggests strongly that this line is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not sue Lamar in the legal filing.

His lawyers alleged UMG of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to resuming our work effectively marketing the artist’s work and supporting his career," the spokesperson added.

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

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.