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A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s legal claim against Universal Music Group concerning Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in early this year, claiming UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson said he planned to appeal the decision. Universal Music Group said it was pleased with the result and was looking forward to continuing its work with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

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

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s musical journey, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, 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 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

"Talk about him likin' young girls, that's a gift from me," the track suggested.

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

"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 Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His lawyers accused UMG of initiating "a campaign to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a criminal paedophile, and to imply that the public should turn 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 line in which the artist "heavily" suggested that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "raps that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of subjective views... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may anticipate the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG representative said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their creative expression and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to resuming our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his career," the representative added.

A representative for the musician said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals examining it".

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