🔗 Share this article

A judge has rejected the rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit targeting the music corporation concerning Kendrick Lamar’s track the diss record.

Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that Lamar's song lyrics, which claimed the artist and his crew of being "pedophiles", were "protected opinion" and could not be considered defamatory.

Drake submitted the legal action in January, claiming Universal Music Group, the record label behind both artists, of defamation by permitting the track to be published and promoted, stating it spread a "untrue and harmful story".

Drake's spokesperson stated he planned to challenge the ruling. Universal Music Group expressed it was satisfied with the result and was looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the musician.

Context of the Rap Battle

The diss song, which was initially released in spring 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.

It has become the most successful track of the rapper’s career, having received multiple Grammy awards and being one of the most-discussed moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in early 2025.

In a detailed ruling, Judge Vargas 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 subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse," the court wrote.

"Although the claim that Drake is a pedophile is undoubtedly a grave allegation, the wider backdrop of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations exchanged by each artist, would not lead the reasonable listener to believe that 'the track' imparts truthful statements about the claimant."

She additionally observed that, in an previous track, the artist had "dared his rival to make the paedophilia accusations" that appeared in the diss record.

On the song his own release, Drake used the AI-generated voice of the late rapper to give Lamar advice on how to prevail in the feud.

"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 'Hey Drake, I’ve heard you prefer them young' must be assessed," stated the court.

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

'An Affront to Artists'

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

His legal team alleged the label of initiating "an effort to create a popular song" out of a release that made the "untrue claim that Drake is a convicted predator, and to suggest that the public should resort to extra-legal action in retaliation".

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

She highlighted that the rapper himself had engaged in comparable rhetoric, quoting a lyric in which the artist "heavily" implied that "Lamar is a spouse beater", and another where he "claims that he 'was told' that one of his rival’s children may not be biologically his."

Concerning the track in question, the court said: "Although apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion... when made in public debate, heated labour dispute, or other circumstances in which an listener may expect the use of slurs, passionate language or exaggeration."

Reacting to the dismissal, a UMG spokesperson said: "From the beginning, this lawsuit was an insult to every creative and their creative expression and should not have been filed."

"We're pleased with the judge’s ruling and are eager to continuing our partnership successfully marketing the artist’s work and investing in his career," the representative continued.

A representative for the musician said the artist planned to contest the decision, "and we await the appellate court examining it".

Lamar has not yet comment on the case.