Judge Throws Out Drake's Lawsuit Over Kendrick Lamar's Diss Track

A judge has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Presiding Judge the court’s judge ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label behind the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Rap Battle

Not Like Us, which was first dropped in spring 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 the rapper’s musical journey, having won 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, the judge called the dispute between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

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

"Although the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

"Suggest he has a preference for minors, consider that a tip," the track suggested.

"Against this backdrop in which such lines 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 direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers accused UMG of initiating "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should turn to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a diss track "replete with vulgar language, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an audience may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or hyperbole."

Responding to the dismissal, a label representative said: "From the outset, this case was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our work effectively promoting the artist’s work and supporting his career," the representative added.

A spokesperson for the musician said the artist planned to contest the ruling, "and we await the appellate court reviewing it".

Lamar has yet to comment on the case.