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A court official has rejected the rapper Drake’s legal claim targeting the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that Lamar's song lyrics, which accused Drake and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and cannot be deemed defamatory.

The Canadian rapper submitted the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label representing both artists, of defamation by allowing the song to be released and promoted, saying it disseminated a "untrue and harmful story".

The artist’s representative said he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group said it was satisfied with the result and was eager to resuming its collaboration with the rapper.

Background of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was first dropped in spring 2024, was broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an continuing feud between the competing artists.

It has emerged as the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-discussed moments 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 focus of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the judge wrote.

"While the claim that plaintiff is a child predator is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with provocative remarks and insulting claims exchanged by each artist, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about plaintiff."

She also noted that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that featured in the diss record.

On the track his own release, the rapper used the synthetic vocals 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 track suggested.

"Against this backdrop in which such lyrics as 'Say, Drake, I hear you like 'em young' must be evaluated," wrote the court.

"The similarity in the phrasing strongly indicates that this line is a direct callback to the artist’s own words in the prior song."

'An Affront to Artists'

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, did not name his rival in the legal filing.

His legal team accused UMG of initiating "a campaign to generate a popular song" out of a track that made the "false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the audience should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

Ruling against the plaintiff, Judge Vargas said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "replete with vulgar language, insults, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She pointed out that Drake himself had engaged in similar language, referencing a line in which the artist "heavily" implied that "his opponent is a domestic abuser", and another where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's sons may not be his biological offspring."

Concerning Lamar's song, Judge Vargas said: "Although seemingly factual claims may assume the character of subjective views... when made in open discourse, intense arguments, or similar situations in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG representative said: "From the outset, this lawsuit was an insult to all artists and their artistic freedom and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to resuming our work successfully promoting Drake's music and supporting his artistic path," the representative continued.

A spokesperson for the musician said the rapper planned to appeal the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet issue a statement on the case.