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A judge has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge ruled that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper submitted the legal action in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the record label behind 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 stated he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed highlights of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

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

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals 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 proposed.

"It is in this context in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be assessed," wrote Judge Vargas.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused the label of initiating "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 suggest that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the judge’s ruling and look forward to resuming our work successfully promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative added.

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

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.