Court Throws Out Drake's Legal Case Over Kendrick Lamar’s Hit Not Like Us

A court official has dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed Drake and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "protected opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

Drake submitted the legal action in January, accusing Universal Music Group, the music company behind both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and promoted, stating it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative stated he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its collaboration with the musician.

Background of the Hip-Hop Feud

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

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's musical journey, 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 detailed ruling, Judge Vargas called the dispute 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 substantial media scrutiny and digital debate," the court wrote.

"While the claim that Drake is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline 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 "challenged his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice 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 song proposed.

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

"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged the label of initiating "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "accurate factual reporting" from a musical attack "filled with profanity, insults, threats of violence, and exaggerated statements."

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

Regarding Lamar's song, the court said: "Even 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, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

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

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our work effectively marketing Drake's music and supporting his career," the spokesperson added.

A representative for the musician said the rapper intended to appeal the decision, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the legal matter.