Court Dismisses Drake's Legal Case Over Kendrick Lamar's Diss Track

A court official has dismissed Drake's legal claim against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song Not Like Us.

Judge the court’s judge decided that the rapper’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be deemed libelous.

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamation by allowing the track to be released and marketed, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson said he intended to challenge the decision. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the outcome and was looking forward to resuming its work with the musician.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has become the biggest hit of Lamar's career, having received five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a 38-page order, the judge called the row between the rappers "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

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

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

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

On the track Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to win the rap battle.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," stated Judge Vargas.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged the label 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 resort to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a line in which the star "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s sons may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Even apparent statements of fact may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, heated labour dispute, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and never should have been filed."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully marketing Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative continued.

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

Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.