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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar's song the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "certified paedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper filed the lawsuit in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company representing both artists, of defamatory conduct by allowing the track to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson stated he intended to challenge the ruling. UMG expressed it was pleased with the result and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in May 2024, was widely seen as the final strike in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has emerged as the biggest hit of Lamar's musical journey, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl performance in early 2025.

In a 38-page order, 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 focus of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a serious one, the broader context of a intense musical rivalry, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in the diss record.

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

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

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

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team accused UMG of launching "an effort to generate a viral hit" out of a release that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the audience should turn to vigilante justice in retaliation".

Ruling against Drake, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had used similar language, referencing a line in which the artist "strongly" suggested that "Lamar is a domestic abuser", and another where he "claims that he 'heard' that one of Lamar's sons may not be biologically his."

Concerning 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, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an audience may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Responding to the rejection, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative and their artistic freedom and should not have been filed."

"We are satisfied with the court's dismissal and are eager to resuming our partnership successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his career," the representative added.

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to contest the ruling, "and we look forward to the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.