🔗 Share this article

A court official has thrown out Drake's legal claim targeting Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's representative stated he intended to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the rival rappers.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the dispute between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the genre's history".

"Both rappers’ seven-track rap battle was a 'verbal conflict' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' conveys verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

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

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

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His lawyers alleged the label of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

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

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’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 statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the rejection, a label representative said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and never should have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our work successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for the musician said the artist intended to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals examining it".

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