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

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the rapper’s song lyrics, which accused the artist and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the legal action in early this year, claiming UMG, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by permitting the track to be released and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s spokesperson stated he planned to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to resuming its work with the rapper.

Context of the Hip-Hop Feud

The diss song, which was initially released in May 2024, was broadly viewed as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the biggest hit of the rapper’s musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about highlights of his Super Bowl performance in February.

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

"The artists' seven-track rap battle was a 'war of words' that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged his rival to make the pedophile claims" that featured in the diss record.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice 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 evaluated," stated the court.

"The parallel in the wording strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the earlier release."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused UMG of initiating "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

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

She highlighted that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a lyric in which the star "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where he "raps that he 'heard' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Even seemingly factual claims may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have seen the light of day."

"We're pleased with the court's dismissal and look forward to resuming our work successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his career," the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Drake said the artist intended to appeal the ruling, "and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

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