🔗 Share this article

A judge has thrown out the rapper Drake’s legal claim against the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge the court’s judge determined that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered defamatory.

The Canadian rapper submitted the lawsuit in early this year, accusing UMG, the record label behind both artists, of defamatory conduct by permitting the song to be published and promoted, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's spokesperson said he intended to appeal the ruling. UMG expressed 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 widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

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 moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the dispute between the artists "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 focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a child predator is certainly a grave allegation, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims exchanged by both participants, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'Not Like Us' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "dared his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in Not Like Us.

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

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

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

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His legal team alleged UMG of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She pointed out that the rapper himself had used similar language, quoting a lyric in which the star "strongly" suggested that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and a separate instance where Drake "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning the track in question, Judge Vargas said: "Even seemingly factual claims may take on the nature of statements of opinion... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of epithets, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this case was an affront to all artists and their artistic freedom and never should have seen the light of day."

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

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

Lamar has yet to comment on the legal matter.