🔗 Share this article

A court official has rejected Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge determined that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be published and marketed, saying it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

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

It has emerged as the most successful track of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

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

"Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, 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 plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

The musician, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the lawsuit.

His legal team accused UMG of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

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

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to continuing our work effectively marketing Drake's music and investing in his career," the representative continued.

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

Lamar has yet to issue a statement on the legal matter.