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A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed defamatory.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in early this year, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be released and promoted, saying it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he intended to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

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

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court noted.

"Although the accusation that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, 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, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals 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 track proposed.

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers accused the label of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Ruling against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that Drake himself had used similar language, referencing a line in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where Drake "raps that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A representative for Drake said the artist intended to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has yet to comment on the case.