Judge Throws Out Drake's Lawsuit Regarding Kendrick Lamar’s Hit Diss Track

A court official has dismissed the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against the music corporation over Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

Presiding Judge Jeannette Vargas decided that the rapper’s lyrics, which claimed the artist and his associates of being "pedophiles", were "nonactionable opinion" and could not be considered libelous.

Drake submitted the lawsuit in early this year, claiming Universal Music Group, the music company representing the two rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be published and marketed, stating it spread a "false and malicious narrative".

The artist’s spokesperson said he intended to appeal the ruling. Universal Music Group said 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 broadly viewed as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the competing artists.

It has become the most successful track of Lamar's career, having won multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl performance in February.

In a detailed ruling, the judge called the row between the artists "the most notorious hip-hop feud in the history of rap music".

"Both rappers’ series of diss tracks was a 'war of words' that was the subject of extensive press coverage and online discourse," the court noted.

"While the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a intense musical rivalry, with provocative remarks and offensive accusations hurled by each artist, would not incline the average audience to believe that 'the track' imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff."

She additionally observed that, in an earlier song, Drake had "challenged Lamar to make the pedophile claims" that appeared in Not Like Us.

On the song Taylor Made Freestyle, Drake used the synthetic vocals of Tupac Shakur to give Lamar advice on how to win the rap battle.

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

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

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

'A Slap in the Face to Creatives'

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

His lawyers alleged UMG of launching "an effort to create a popular song" out of a track that made the "untrue claim that the artist is a convicted predator, and to imply that the audience should resort to vigilante justice in response".

Deciding against the plaintiff, the judge said listeners would not expect "truthful accounts" from a musical attack "filled with vulgar language, trash-talking, violent implications, and exaggerated statements."

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in similar language, quoting a line in which the star "strongly" implied that "his opponent is a spouse beater", and another where Drake "claims that he 'was told' that one of Lamar's children may not be his biological offspring."

Regarding the track in question, the court said: "Although 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 audience may anticipate the use of slurs, passionate language or hyperbole."

Reacting to the dismissal, a label spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an affront to every creative 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 continuing our partnership successfully promoting Drake's music and investing in his artistic path," the spokesperson continued.

A representative for Drake said the rapper intended to contest the decision, "and we await the Court of Appeals reviewing it".

Kendrick Lamar has not yet comment on the case.