Court Throws Out Rapper Drake's Lawsuit Regarding Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us

A court official has rejected Drake's defamation lawsuit against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar's track the diss record.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be considered libelous.

Drake filed the lawsuit in January, accusing UMG, the record label representing the two rappers, of defamatory conduct by allowing the song to be released and promoted, saying it disseminated a "false and malicious narrative".

Drake's representative said he planned to appeal the decision. UMG said it was satisfied with the outcome and was eager to continuing its work with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in May 2024, was broadly viewed 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 moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.

In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the dispute between the rappers "the most infamous rap battle in the genre's history".

"The artists' series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the focus of extensive press coverage and digital debate," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and insulting claims hurled by both participants, would not lead the average audience to believe that 'the track' conveys truthful statements about the claimant."

She also noted that, in an previous track, the artist had "challenged Lamar to make the paedophilia accusations" that featured in Not Like Us.

On the song his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals of the late rapper to suggest strategies on how to prevail in the feud.

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

"Against this backdrop in which such lines as 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be evaluated," stated the court.

"The parallel in the phrasing strongly indicates that this lyric is a direct callback to Drake's lyrics in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged UMG of initiating "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to imply that the public should turn to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against Drake, the judge said fans would not expect "truthful accounts" from a diss track "filled with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language."

She highlighted that Drake himself had used comparable rhetoric, referencing a lyric in which the artist "strongly" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and a separate instance where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, the court said: "Although 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 audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label representative 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 look forward to continuing our work effectively promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the representative added.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we look forward to the appellate court reviewing it".

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