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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that Lamar's lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

Drake filed the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company representing both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson said he planned to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the result and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the row between the artists "the most infamous rap battle in the history of rap music".

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"While 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 insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

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

On the song his own release, 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 track suggested.

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote 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'

Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not sue Lamar in the lawsuit.

His legal team alleged 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 criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should turn to extra-legal action in response".

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

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the artist "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in public debate, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative added.

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

Kendrick Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the case.